BY WINSTONE MUSISI
Police officers in Eldoret, Uasin Gishu County, will no longer be allowed to arrest and detain in custody people found not wearing face masks on the streets as the offence is categorized as minor, an area OCDP Edward Masibo has directed.
Masibo said the officers will instead be involved in spreading awareness on the need for the citizens to wear masks for their safety and that of other members of the public.
Masibo took issue with a section of rogue police officers whom he claimed were taking advantage of the low level of education and awareness among the poor rural folk by demanding bribes from them or face arrest for failing to put on a face mask.
Do not detain people
Speaking to Mwanahabari.co.ke in his office, Masibo directed that no person found not wearing a face mask should be arrested and detained in police custody, but should instead be advised to adhere to the ministry of health guideline so as to protect him or herself from Covid-19 infection.
“The police officers should not enforce the wearing of face masks to people’s homes at all. What the government says is that everyone must put on a face mask only when in a public place such as supermarkets, public or private hospitals, markets places, hotel, and also while travelling in a public service vehicle,” said Masibo
Masibo was reacting to protests from residents of Uasin Gishu County who have petitioned the Inspector General of Police Hilary Mutyamba to intervene and rein in on rogue police officers in the area who they have accused of turning a last year’s directive by Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe that everybody must wear face mask into a cash cow.
Enforcing the ministry of health guidelines
The residents lamented that the police officers were going as far as raiding people’s homes in the name of enforcing the ministry of health guidelines.
The most affected by the police action, include dwellers of Mwanzo Kidiwa, Huruma, Maili Nne and Kahoya estate in the outskirts of Eldoret town.
Speaking to Mwanahabari.co.ke in Eldoret today, Walter Keya, the chairman of Mwanzo estate Nyamba Kumi, says the officers were demanding bribes ranging between sh 500 and sh 1000 from each person arrested for failure to wear face mask.
“It is very wrong for police officers for turning the situation into a cash cow and yet they know the economic challenges the ordinary citizens are going through to put food on the table for their children to eat, clothe and go to school,” said Keya.
Arrested hundreds of people walking to their homes
He has asked the IG to move with speed and tame the police officer’s habit which he claimed was making their lives harder and frustrating in their thirst for bribes from those caught without the protective gear.
Keya said that it was unfair for the security officers to follow people into their homes in the name of enforcing the ministry of health Covid-19 rules.
The police officers, Keya said, normally come at 9.30 pm and arrested hundreds of people walking to their homes and order them to board a 200 capacity police lorry where they are then asked to part with sh 500 or sh 1000 each failure to which they will be detained in custody at the central police station.