On March 19, traders in Kirinyaga County levelled accusations against Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) officials, alleging instances of harassment and bribery.
Outraged merchants from Kagio, Kutus, and Kandongu are urging the Ministry of Interior to conduct an inquiry into the purported collusion between KEBS officers and the police.
Preferring anonymity, one trader disclosed, "Last Thursday, they seized over Ksh1 million in cash from us at Kiamaciri Police Station after apprehending us at our premises, yet no legal proceedings ensued."
Similar grievances emerged from traders in Kutus town, with locals asserting that they were taken to Kutus Police Station and coerced into making substantial payments subsequent to being detained by KEBS personnel.
"Under duress, I relinquished Ksh100,000 when they insisted that a court fine would exceed Ksh.1 million," lamented a distressed trader from Kutus.
In response to these allegations, Kirinyaga County Commissioner Hussein Alasow Hussein cautioned residents against offering bribes to government officials.
He reassured the public of his collaboration with security forces to tackle the issue.
These accusations arise amidst persistent concerns regarding corruption in Kenya.
According to the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission, the country suffers an estimated loss of Ksh608 billion annually, equating to 7.8% of the GDP, due to corruption.
The average bribe amount decreased marginally to Ksh5,058.75 in 2017 from Ksh7,081.05 in 2016, as per the Ethics And Corruption Survey 2017.
The Kenya National Police Service is identified as the most corrupt institution in the nation, with bribery frequently cited as the sole means to efficiently access police services.
To combat corruption, Kenya enacted the Anti-Corruption and Economic Crimes Act in 2003 and bolstered its anti-bribery measures with the Bribery Act of 2016. Nonetheless, enforcement remains challenging due to feeble and corrupt public institutions.
In December 2016, Kenya's National Police Service Commission dismissed 127 traffic police officers following the unearthing of suspicious money transfers among officers.
