Nairobi County enforcement officers, popularly known as Kanjos, are set to receive 250 motor vehicles at a cost of Ksh250 million.
The Nairobi Metropolitan Service (NMS) Director in charge of enforcement, Mark Leleruk, said the vehicles will help in the mobility of the officers and ensure quality service delivery.
Leleruk said that the NMS Director, Major Gen. Mohammed Badi, rolled out a plan to purchase the vehicles at a cost of Ksh 1 million per unit.
The vehicles are aimed at boosting the operations of the enforcement team in line with the Nairobi City County Public Nuisance Bill signed into law by acting Governor, Anne Kananu.
“We are working tirelessly to ensure we have acquired the new vehicles to help us in our operations. I know many fear the so-called kanjo vehicles but we are working to ensure we have given them a good shape,” stated Leleruk.
For decades, the enforcement officers have been accused of driving unroadworthy vehicles, that pose danger to other motorists and road users.
The enforcers are tasked with enforcing the law with most target being city traders and pedestrians found breaking the law.
This comes just days after the Kananu approved the Nuisance Bill which seeks to outlaw practices such as blowing one's nose without a handkerchief, spitting and urinating publicly.
Perpetrators risk being fined between Ksh10,000 and Ksh50,000 or an alternative jail term not exceeding six months if found culpable.
Even as the county splashes cash in purchasing motor vehicles, a report by the Controller of Budgets for the first nine months of the 2020/2021 Financial Years shows the amount will be more that triple what the county has so far used in development projects.
Nairobi City incurred expenditure of Ksh79.12 million on development programmes, which represented a decrease of 93.7 per cent compared to a similar period in FY 2019/20 when the County spent Ksh1.25 billion.
There was also a high expenditure on local travel at Ksh297.97 million, which was unexpected during the Covid-19 containment period due to travel restrictions and points to wasteful spending.
City Hall is also yet to fully settle Ksh79 billion it owes to its creditors including suppliers.
