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Police suspend traffic officer recorded collecting bribes in Umoja, Nairobi

A traffic police officer at work in Nairobi. (Photo: X)

By Lucy Mumbi | 12 Apr 2024

The officer was filmed purportedly collecting bribes from six public service vehicles (PSVs) at the B Centre area in Umoja.

The National Police Service (NPS) has suspended a traffic police officer following allegations of bribery captured in a viral video.

While directing traffic, the officer was filmed purportedly collecting bribes from six public service vehicles (PSVs) at the B Centre area in Umoja.

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In a statement on Friday, the NPS swiftly responded to the circulating footage, confirming the suspension of the officer from the Traffic Police Unit, effective immediately.

NPS added that proceedings for his dismissal are underway.

“Please be informed that the National Police Service has positively identified the traffic police officer seen in the video clip circulating on social media, while allegedly collecting bribes from public service vehicles.

“The officer attached to traffic within Buru Buru Police Station has been suspended from the Traffic Police Unit with immediate effect, and proceedings for his dismissal are ongoing,” the police said on X on Friday.

NPS commended the public and the press for their collaborative efforts in exposing corruption. The police service added that it remains committed to its constitutional mandate of fighting corruption, striving for the highest standards of professionalism and discipline among its members, promoting accountability and transparency and upholding the rule of law.

Bribery by traffic police officers has been on the rise, with similar cases being flagged by the general public.

In October last year, detectives from the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) arrested five NPS officers for soliciting bribes from Kenyans.

Four of the five were apprehended for demanding bribes from motorists on the Thika-Garissa Highway.

The final suspect was arrested in Kisumu after demanding a Sh500,000 bribe from a complainant who had earlier reported the matter to EACC.

Again in November of the same year, the Commission arrested three traffic police officers over bribery along Mai Mahiu Road.

EACC CEO Twalib Mbarak said the Commission's officers moved in to arrest officers, who were openly receiving bribes from motorists, but one managed to escape. Twalib regretted that traffic cops cultivated the culture of demanding bribes publicly, which embarrasses their service.

EACC in its National Survey Report, 2023, released in March 2024, claimed that an individual is most likely to encounter corruption and unethical practices in the Ministry of Interior, which oversees the National Police Service (NPS).

Interior Ministry led with 47.1 per cent, the Ministry of Health followed with (13.2 per cent), and the Ministry of Transport at (5.8 per cent).

EACC added that within departments and agencies within the Interior Ministry, police were most prone to corruption at 60.6 per cent, the Immigration Department at 4.4 per cent and the Registrar of Persons at 4 per cent.

“There is a likelihood that each time one seeks police security services, [the person will] likely be asked for a bribe 1.41 times,” EACC stated in its report.

“Individuals seeking to bail an arrested person were asked to pay a bribe 1.28 times,” it added, exposing the wanton corruption within the police service.