Askaris from the County Government of Nairobi, on Friday, received rare support from the general public after a video of them arresting a rider went viral online.
The video was posted by the Bodaboda Association of Kenya in a bid to condemn the action by the county officials, but the move backfired on them after Kenyans sided with the officers.
“Bodaboda Association of Kenya wants to condemn this act by the county askaris in every term possible and ask the county government to intervene and bring justice to the industry at large,” the association wrote on Twitter.
Immediately after the post, responses flew in thick and fast from angry Nairobians who accused the bodaboda fraternity of making the CBD a living hell.
They questioned why the rider was seen to be resisting arrest.
In the video, the man is seen wailing while trying to pin himself to the ground to avoid being taken away by the county enforcement officers.
“Why is he resisting arrest? These guys make Nairobi City Centre total a mess. They should be banned completely out of CBD. The only language these guys understand is brutality,” noted Willy Kipng’eno.
Others accused the riders of being a nuisance in the city because they seldom followed traffic rules.
“I condemn any form of violence and use of brutal force, but your riders are also known to behave as if they are above the law. Breaking all traffic laws and administering mob justice against motorists whenever an errant rider is knocked down,” another tweep wrote.
Netizens also asked the association to tame its members if they want to be treated with respect in their line of business.
“Give and it shall come back to you. Whatever injustices they have been doing are now haunting them and come back [sic] in equal measure. Surely what goes around comes around,” claimed Dominic Njoroge.
They further reminded the riders that the law barred them from accessing the CBD.
