Kenyans were on Sunday, March 10, stunned after a video emerged of residents from an estate in Nairobi beating up Nairobi City Council officers popularly known as kanjos.
In the video, the officers had confiscated a few items including plywood seemingly from hardware in the area. This resulted in a confrontation between the officers and the residents.
One of the locals, dragged the materials from the officers' pick up attracting the attention of other residents and passers-by. Another resident was depicted holding a hammer and arguing with one of the kanjos before proceeding to slap him.
Onlookers who were enraged by the behaviour of the officers were heard inciting others. They could be heard accusing kanjos of failing to respect other people's businesses.
"Life is hard for everyone, leave the young man alone. We have been quiet for so long," the residents were heard shouting.
Additionally, a section of other locals confronted some of the officers who could be seen walking away to avoid escalating the matter.
However, the angry crowd followed the officers who managed to escape after jumping into their pickup. Some of the locals hopped onto the vehicle while others ran after it shouting and hurling stones.
Following the incident, Kenyans have called out these officers who are harassing Nairobi residents. Most called upon Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja to intervene.
Kenyans also cautioned their countrymen against taking matters into their own hands.
Others lauded the residents for standing up against the alleged mistreatment and harassment from the officers.
In 2023, scenarios of Kenyans resorting to the extremes after having their businesses disrupted by kanjos have become more rampant.
In October last year, county enforcement officers conducting an operation in the Nairobi Business District attracted the wrath of city dwellers and Kenyans in general after they vandalised and confiscated trollies used by smokie and eggs vendors.
Similarly, Kenyans tore into the Nairobi County Government after a video of a kanjo forcing himself into a female motorist's car attempting to park in October last year went viral.
