By Vincent Mabatuk
NAKURU, KENYA: A section of traffic police officers stationed along the notorious Nakuru- Eldoret highway at Salgaa now want a senior police officer in the area investigated over corruption.
Angry officers blamed the increased cases of accidents reported along the road with corrupt deals between truck owners and their seniors whom they claim interfere with their work.
The officers said whenever they arrest truck drivers for flouting the law, their seniors intervene emboldening the drivers to break the law with abandon knowing nothing will be done against them.
“Well-known companies are under the protection from some of our seniors and juniors going against our wishes, “said one of the officers.
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Junior police officers who wished not to be named attributed recently reported cases of members of the public turning against police in the area as a result of the underworld deals between their boss and track owners.
At Salgaa alone they revealed that 20-30 tracks plying the highway were untouchable and even operate without valid transport licenses.
They alleged that traffic offenders are released in the night after intervention by senior officers without any action taken something that has angered junior officers.
“The offenders part with between Sh5, 000- 10, 000 every week as protection fee from transporters, and this has greatly undermined our work in bringing sanity into our roads”, added another officer.
When contacted about the junior officers complaints, Salgaa base commandant Alexander Mumo rubbished the allegations and challenged anyone with evidence against any senior officer in the area to present to him.
“Yes in the course of our work, we may assist few friends like any other person but anybody accusing me of corruption or any senior officer must be ready to prove that before a court of law,” said Mumo.
He said transporters comply with traffic requirements apart from few cases of drivers forgetting their driving licenses at points of entry.
“How do you expect a truck transporting goods worth millions of money from Mombasa to Uganda to be detained simply because the drivers failed to produce a driving license?" he asked.
The junior officers made the allegations a day after six people perished in a road accident at Migaa area near Salgaa Centre after a lorry transporting timber towards Nakuru town hit a bus head on.
This year alone between January and November 30 people have lost their lives in accidents involving Public Service Vehicles and trucks said to engage free gear downhill to save on fuel.
