POLICE CORRUPTION: A BUMPY RIDE TO MERU AND BACK WITH MY OLD RETIRED MAN AND SMALL BRO.

Thoronjo is a childhood buddy. We grew up together and shared our youth hood escapades, to date he remains a man that I cherish. I am grateful that I had the honor of accompanying him to Katheri Village in Meru County to pay bride price. His family is special to our family and above all, I remain grateful that he makes sure that though I am not a ‘suits’ man, I am able to put on a relatively fine one as he faithfully helps me choose what to put on and a day with him in Eastleigh has always left my fairly small wardrobe smiling.

Thanks to this great day, I had a life time opportunity to share a ride with my dad and small bro who drove us from Nairobi to Meru and back, may God bless the young man. With our old man sitting at the front of my brothers Toyota 91, I had the honor of sitting at the back all alone. This gave us hours of engaging in a conversation that we have never had in life. From how he Intends to spend his retirement life, to where he will build his retirement home….(now that he does not want to go back to the village), the old man gave us an opportunity to share that which we missed all through our life.

To me, this was a very special occasion remembering that I once wrote this passionate appeal to him https://kaberemartin.blogspot.com/search?q=tell+me+that+you+love+me as a 'means of healing'.
Writing helps me offload baggage and gives me strength to face life once more when I fell like I have taken in too much . I have however restrained myself from publishing, meaning that my desktop has unpublished memoirs of what my last three years in life and more so in my work place have been like. 

Our precious conversation was however not to be going by what was happening on our roads on that day. I love my Job and I forever remain grateful to the  Police service that I joined almost 14 years ago because it gave me and continues to give me the opportunity to be the best out of myself. 

At a young age, the Police service gave me an opportunity to earn a fairly decent and honest living, a life time opportunity to achieve my childhood dream of joining the university and above all exceeding what I thought was possible as I was not only able to  do that but also do a post graduate diploma and an MBA in six years time, all this self sponsored to the last penny. That for me is all I wanted in my early life and I have it. Thanks to the Police service my family has  an opportunity to access a comprehensive medical cover procured to us by the tax payers through GOK, we also have an opportunity to live in one of the most secure environments, with a free house, free water, free electricity and one of the most diverse neighbors as all Kenya is in  the Police Service. The Service has taken me to many counties within Kenya on assignment, Tanzania in East Africa and even outside Africa to eight different states in the United States of America. Am almost sure that this would not have been possible if I never joined the police force back then. 

Thanks to the great service, I have also have an opportunity to work with some of the most amazing career police men and women and also some who have left me with so many unanswered questions in life. The past 14 years have been the most fulfilling ones in my life.

However, Saturday, 01/09/2018 was a fairly tough day for me…

My old man had this opportunity to bring this ugly side of the place I have called home for 14 years now-The Police service. He poured his heart out and I had the privilege of listening to him in one of the most candid conversations we have ever had since I was born. My younger bro, who also has had his fair share of terrible experiences in the hands of my colleagues, had a whole day of speaking his heart. For him, I have been part of this for I have quite often attempted to bail him out of police cells for some of the most stupid things I have ever heard and some of which our system exploits to date to cause misery in the lives of Kenyans but with the whole intention of extorting money from peace loving, jobless, poor and helpless young men and women.

Honestly speaking, what I am sharing here, has the potential of causing me misery in my workplace as truth and objectivity is rarely appreciated, but I choose what is fair to me; to write down and heal, and this time round share. I feel slightly tormented and  harassed all because my whole heart is in the Police service and fair enough, I have always done all I can do to make the Police service a better one than I found it, though a drop in the ocean. 

It all started as we drove along the Thika super highway when we encountered a battery of traffic Police officers who were indiscriminately stopping vehicles in the middle of the highway, some doing it so dangerously with zero care for motorists safety but with one visible motive that even a blind man could see, picking bribes. With that level of boldness, with zero care for who was seeing them and not, my old man threw the first jab. Why do you guys do this? Don’t you care for your country? Why is there even no fear that one can be caught? The questions kept coming my way but had to interrupt him.

I categorically told him that I have never taken a bribe. Not that I am a saint and that I am pointing fingers but that it! I chose the path that is least taken because I know that God gave me this job when opportunities to join the force back then were so rare and wants me to glorify Him with all I do in here and thanks to His grace, I have fought a good fight, I have kept the promise but I pray that I will win the race in the fullness of time.

The old man narrated to me his ordeal along Jogoo road where he used to live in the government quarters. He told me of matatus with modified exhaust systems, loud music and flickering lights that used to cause them sleepless nights, the ever unruly Kayole bound matatus and Embasava matatus where one  hit my mum and Makongeni Traffic  base officer who was assigned the case took us round and round till we gave up, the lives that have been lost on this road due to impunity and dreams that have been shattered as we walk in blue uniforms and white caps in the name of enforcing traffic law but there is nothing to smile about on our roads, at least according to him. He told me of this slightly huge brown lady cop who reigns terror along Jogoo road, who was once almost caught by EACC officers but escaped and still rules the road despite her case having being highlighted severally in the media. He also spoke of how his vehicle was hit by a drunk motorist who Buruburu cops let go without even charging him from drunk driving leaving mzee with the nightmare of chasing an insurance company where  he gave up along the way only to repair his car at his own cost. The drunk motorist purchased his way out of a corrupt system and uckily enough, I had a firsthand experience of the Makongeni case and the Buruburu one. 

My brother Interrupted mzee with his ordeal in the hands of Athi River Traffic cops. He narrated how one cop swore that if my brother was set free without paying un receipted three thousand shillings for a traffic offense, then he would doubt whether he was fully circumcised. He went further to share how lorries and pickups that he and some of his friends run are forced out of business because of the shameless extortion cartels that rule our roads in the name of traffic law enforcement, how boda boda guys and vehicle owners that are familiar to him have been forced to pay ‘releasing fees’ for their cycles and vehicles even after going through a court system that can be described as a journey to hell and back. He had more on how we are quick to tow vehicles that can be pushed from the road to avoid obstruction only to pay exorbitant towing fees that he believes that we usually have a fair share of.

Both mzee and the young man had more and more to share now that every road block that we passed through clearly exhibited zero signs of law enforcement but a clear  shameless corrupt enterprise that cares no more of safety on our roads but that has a desire to make more and more, drive nice vehicles, buy expensive beer , build houses that we rarely enjoy living in. Honestly speaking, the two gave me more personal encounters in the hand of traffic and regular cops and even those of their friends and all I can say is that I felt their misery and pain too.

I also let them know that even we officers suffer from such impunity. I reminded them of the day I was hit by a Githurai bound bus that was on th wrong and a traffic cop just denied me justice after a chit chat with the bus crew and informed them that on Monday 3/09/2018, I had a case at Milimani Law courts to face another monster who was a creation of our system. Here is a link to what he does. https://www.nation.co.ke/news/Con-men-run--Safaricom--racket-under-the-nose-of-police/1056-3987292-sn4qkuz/index.html

This is my story and that of others as captured by Capital News. https://www.capitalfm.co.ke/news/2018/01/wary-city-racketeers-posing-like-promoters/ 

After all is said and done I chose to speak my heart rather than do a mere PR exercise now that these two are “harmless to me.” I know in the Police service we have law abiding cops but a good number of us have serious integrity issues that we continue to deny with all manner of justifications. On matters traffic law that I have a passion for, I am always looking forward to the return of the Michuki laws that we dumped ages ago! I always advocate for compliance but again even the most compliant can never enjoy the fruits of compliance in such a system hence bribing takes first precedence. 

Two, there is this funny line of thought that ‘POLICE ARE CORRUPT BECAUSE WE COME FROM A CORRUPT SOCIETY’ which I personally do not subscribe to. My two cents have always been- The society has never been to Kenya Police College- Kiganjo, GSU training school and Administration Police training college where part of training is usually called ‘kutoa uraia’ where the ‘society is corrupt’ element should then have been removed. The society though can enforce citizen arrest has not been entrusted with law enforcement resources to a tune of billions and has never taken oath of office, to remain true to what is envisioned in every progressive piece of legislation that exists in Kenya. The society is helpless, is always at the mercy of law enforcers who can trump up charges, detain past 24 hrs, charge one for nonexistent offenses and in stupid times we have been accused of ‘planting bhangi’ in pockets and vehicles just to charge the occupants for pocessing the same whereas the reality is that some have never even seen how marijuana looks like. We have officers whose unlawful actions have led to job losses, death of individuals, careers, shattered dreams and above all,  number one slot in corruption perception index. The only thing is that traffic cops are more visible and bold, the beat/station cops are no better!

There is more and more that I shared with these great men but to sum it up, I just asked them questions which were inspired by what the president said at Athi river when he led government officials in an exercise where contraband goods were destroyed: do you think that senior police officers do not know what we the juniors do on our roads, stations, posts, patrol bases etc day in day out? Are they any better now that they are not as visible as the foot soldiers? Aren’t they the same folks who deploy us to these places and supervise us as we do all this?, don’t they drive on the same roads and see what we were seeing? Are they not in the same police stations where hundreds of young men are locked up for loitering and failing to give a good account of themselves only to be released at Ksh 1,000 fee that is never receipted?

I humbly requested them not to give me answers to these ‘stupid’ questions, took a deep breath and went mute!

PLASTIC CARRIER/FLAT BAGS BAN: OPPORTUNITIES FOR BUSINESS.

On 28^thFebeuary, 2017, the government of Kenya banned the use,manufacture and importation of all plastic bags used for commercial and household packaging defined as follows: carrier bags and flat bags. This has in return created a wave of uncertainty despite the fact that there has been a conversation around the use of plastic bags for over ten years.

After the gazette Notice was issued, Kenya Association of Manufacturers and Consumer Federation of Kenya issued a statement on the same. See the KAM statement here: 

http://www.kam.co.ke/local-manufacturers-not-consulted-ban-plastic-bags/

Whereas I am not a trained environmentalist, I have a passion for the environment and this explains why I had to take my dad heads on when he threw a plastic soda bottle through the car window on our way from the village to the Capital City-Nairobi. I had to let him know that he has no right to complain that our drainage is clogged during the rainy season as he is part of the problem. Whereas this was a dad-son conversation, I am sure that he will in future restrain himself from doing so. I was lucky to have mum on board as she knows very well where my heart is when it comes to matters environment. My mum runs a small roadside grocery shop where she uses plastic carrier bags a lot. In this regard, Mrs. Me (My wife) and I have this deal; dispose not any plastic carrier bags if they have not shifted to the second or third hand. To make sure that this deal sees the light of the day, we ensure that 99% of our super market branded carrier bags are collected and when we have a substantial amount of them, we take them to mum where in return she gives them to customers who buy large quantities of groceries.

 

The battle goes beyond large sizes of paper bags. Whereas the carrier bags and the flat bags are the ones that have been banned, I have in the past had to make my wife understand why she comes across sweet wrappers and Njugu Karanga wrappers in my pockets as she does her laundry. This is for the simple reason that I don’t  throw away such papers carelessly but have to carry them home and in return put them in our dustbin save for the few  times that I forget doing so and am sure this irritates her! Am however glad that she now understands why and she is now my partner in plastic paper waste management.

For an observant person, a visit to City Park Hawkers market makes one notice a unique shopping trend. In here, Indian shoppers usually come with large baskets that they use to do their shopping hence minimizing the use of Plastic bag carriers. Whereas I have not had time to inquire whether this is a cultural trend or a calculated move to reduce use of plastic bags, the shopping trend cannot go un noticed and the role that it plays in conserving our environment cannot be ignored as this is ‘not very Kenyan’.

Recently, the sad reality hit me once more on my way from Nairobi to the village as the matatu driver who was ferrying us first threw a soda bottle, later bought sugar cane and after chewing the same threw the trash through the window and to add salt to injury, another young lady who was in the same matatu threw her yoghurt packages through the window with less care. In short, the level of awareness on plastic paper waste management is very low and I hope NEMA and other agencies will be working on this within the six months set dead line.

  

At another shopping center, i met Wachira, my long time business buddy who sells Kerosene and plastic papers and asked him how he was planning to survive beyond the ban. Whereas he was blank, we had to agree that he has to now find opportunities to make money beyond the ban hence he must start to scout for alternatives and cash in on the same. 

 

Whereas much of the conversation has been on how difficult it will be to enforce this ban, Rwanda government launched a policy to ban all non-biodegradable plastic from the country several years ago.  In the year 2008, while the rest of the world was barely starting to consider a tax on single-use plastic bags, the small East African Nation decided to ban them completely-The Guardian.  At the Airport, agents from the Rwanda Environmental Management Authority ensure that that no one takes in plastic paper into this clean country. Since 2008, anyone arriving in Rwanda is ordered to give up their plastic or have it confiscated. Flight attendants pre-warn passengers as they land in the capital Kigali and authorities are braces to seize this new form of contraband at the border with other African Nations.-France254.com. In return Rwanda was awarded the cleanest city in Africa by U.N. Habitat but this came at a cost. See: https://qz.com/509948/kigali-is-africas-cleanest-city-but-that-comes-at-a-heavy-price/

In Kenya, Solid Waste management is a multi-billion cartel controlled venture where resistance from such quotas will be expected. Despite the existence of a National Solid Waste Management Strategy in Kenya, plastic papers form a bulk of this waste that even the 200 Million exercise duty collected by the government cannot foot the cost of managing it. Whereas this is a serious headache, plastic Carrier bags manufacturers will be expected to put up a spirited fight too.

However, the government must enlist the support  of all stakeholders like it did during the second generation brew fight if the ban is to see the light of the day. Milk vendors, groceries vendors and Kerosene vendors will also be expected to play a huge role if the ban is to bear fruit. Like petrol stations, they must insist that one has to come with a plastic bottle or jerry can if he/she has to purchase these products.  Proper training of enforcement officers especially those at the boarders will also be a welcome move but without a well laid down anti-corruption strategy, several setbacks will be expected as black markets will thrive under the watch of the same enforcement officers. 

 

The government should also move with speed to support private sector ventures that are involved in plastic paper recycling whereas companies that used to manufacture such bags must be given tax incentives and encouraged to start recycling plants too. Revival of the Sisal Industry will also go a long way towards ensuring that the ban is sustainable whereas use of reeds, water hyacinth and other locally available bio-degradable materials will create more options for consumers of shopping carriers. There is a very huge opportunity for the women and youth groups to cash in on this ban. Kiondo that has almost become extinct is bound to re surface where with minimum modification; they urban folks will not find it difficult to carry it as they head for shopping.

Women weaving Kiondos

The Pessimist complains about the wind; the Optimist expects it to change; the Realist adjusts the sails.-William Arthur.

WATER: A SHARED RESPONSIBILITY.

On  14^th March 2017 I left my home village-Kiaritha and headed to Kangaita Village from where my second visit to various water projects would start. This is a journey that started a while ago. See this link:

http://kaberemartin.blogspot.co.ke/2017/03/save-river-rutui-in-kirinyaga-county.html

A look at the Kenya National Water Development report 2005, prepared for the 2^nd UN World Water Development Report  ‘Water: A shared Responsibility’ (2006), Kenya is classified as a water scarce country with only 647 cubic meters of renewable fresh water per capita. The same is characterized by high spatial and temporal variability and extremes of droughts and floods. Water resources contribute enormously to the economic productivity and social well being of human populace as both social and economic activities rely heavily on the quantity and quality of water.-Professor George O. Krhoda.

Dry section of River Mukengeria

In our context and as Professor George O. Krhoda noted, we have reached  to a point where availability of water is a limiting factor for development in Kirinyaga County. Whereas the prevailing weather conditions have played a role in the existing problem, I would want to look at Rivers whose source is  Mt Kenya Forest. Mt Kenya Forest as a water tower (199,558 Ha, 12.1%) is the second largest water tower after the Mau Complex (400,000 Ha,24.5%)- Kenya National Water Development report 2005,Pg 202. Mt Kenya Forest water catchment area must be properly managed so as to retain it’s capacity to supply good quality water all year round.

Effects of Human activity on this Catchment area.

A look at the human activities along Rivers Thiba, Mukengeria, and Kiringa paints a grim picture of what  our future will look like. The Fencing of Mt Kenya Forest may have been a great move but what happens inside the forest offers no much hope in the long run.

 

For a legal*/Illegal* fee, one can get into the forest to collect firewood but there is more than collecting this precious commodity. From my sources, i was informed that deep inside the forest, illegal logging, charcoal burning and poaching still goes on but to my surprise, my guide told me that the Kenya Forest Service officers are aware of such activities as this illicit trade adds some extra coins in their pockets.  The target species in this illicit trade are the hard wood trees that are used to make highly priced timber whereas others are used for wooden posts that are smuggled out of the forest at night at the cost of Ksh 120-150 but fetch Ksh 250 once successfully smuggled into the timber yards.  The Long term effect of cutting down these trees will be that the rivers will start drying right from the source. 

(The other sad thing that I heard is that some women who come to fetch firewood here are often sexually harassed (sex for firewood) and even raped but these cases are rarely reported. This is the same fate that befalls girls who are arrested inside the same forest especially when schools are closed) Let me leave it at that point as these allegations are unconfirmed.

Flow modifications.

The uncontrolled commissioning of water projects along the rivers has had a negative impact on the natural flow of the rivers downstream. Dams alter the flow, temperature and sediment in river systems. Reduced flow alters aquatic habitats – reducing or removing populations of fish, invertebrates and plants that depend on the flow to bring food. Reduced flow also decreases tributary stream flow, changing habitats and altering the water table in the stream aquifer. Consequently, riverside vegetation may be affected and decline in numbers. This may affect animal biodiversity, for example, bird species may leave the area if their habitat is lost or altered.- https://www.sciencelearn.org.nz/resources/440-human-impact-on-rivers

The above means that there are Water projects downstream that are solely drawing water from tributaries which mean that we have areas along the river  that are completely dry as a result of such projects-Case of Kiganjo project along River Rutui. This also means that other people who were to benefit from natural flow of rivers end up suffering from lack of water which is a possible source of conflict if the prevailing drought situation persists. One of the affected farmers shared with me his pains where he noted that that he is suffering yet the river flows right next to his shamba. Arrow roots that used to grow by the river banks are no more hence no food or source of revenue for people downstream and as a researcher notes:  Rivers are connected systems, and barriers such as dams, culverts and floodgates disconnect one area from another,notes siencelearn.org.nz

Along the river banks the blue gum tree has been planted in numbers despite an order by the authorities that such trees be cut down and the effect has been that the river beds that used to ooze water are no more doing so.

Existing studies show that the blue gum tree reduces water yield  and depletes soil moisture especially during dry weather compared to natural grass land that is fast disappearing along the rivers beds. As if this is not enough the already diminishing resource has been subjected to ever increasing water projects that are not sustainable all year round as we even came across abandoned projects. The remaining projects are running far below capacity as some of them are relying on water from small ‘wells’ along the river banks. Remains of logs that may have been ferried by water downstream are still visible which is a sure sign that water volumes usually get high and the current situation may not be a reflection of what these rivers are when the rainy season comes.

Another notable trend is that more land is being reclaimed for farming along the river banks and the long term effect will be disastrous. The clearing of forests to produce farmland has led to on-going erosion, with large quantities of sediment deposited into rivers. Agricultural intensification (substantial increases in fertiliser application and increased stock numbers) has resulted in nutrient and chemical loss to nearby streams and rivers. Elevated nutrient concentrations (especially nitrogen and phosphorus – key components of fertilisers) can result in the eutrophication of slow-moving waterways.- https://www.sciencelearn.org.nz/resources/440-human-impact-on-rivers

Our visit revealed that there are opportunities for tourism that are yet to be exploited especially inside the forest where these rivers offer scenic views,sport fishing opportunities, hiking and general adventure if we prudently use this resource.  

A look at the Kirinyaga County Government website reveals that there exists a Ministry of  Water,  Environment and Natural resources- http://www.kirinyaga.go.ke/environment.html but did not see any water resources management master plan in here.

 Human impact on rivers is large-scale process that leads to diverse negative consequences.
There are following ways of such impact: 

1) river flow redistribution in
time; 

2) river flow redistribution in space; 

3) river flow withdrawal; 

4) physical disturbance
of river-beds; 

5) pollution;

 6) water clogging;

 7) thermal pollution.- S M. Govorushko
Director of EIA Centre, Pacific Geographical Institute, 7 Radio St.,
Vladivostok, 690041, Russia; e-mail: sgovor@tig.dvo.ru

The Story of the Hummingbird, as told by celebrated Kenyan environmental activist, women’s rights advocate, and 2004 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Professor Wangari Maathai in this clip from Dirt! The Movie:- http://thekidshouldseethis.com/post/wangari-maathai-i-will-be-a-hummingbird

We are constantly being bombarded by problems that we face and sometimes we can get completely overwhelmed.
The story of the hummingbird is about this huge forest being consumed by a fire. All the animals in the forest come out and they are transfixed as they watch the forest burning and they feel very overwhelmed, very powerless, except this little hummingbird. It says, ‘I’m going to do something about the fire!’ So it flies to the nearest stream and takes a drop of water. It puts it on the fire, and goes up and down, up and down, up and down, as fast as it can.

In the meantime all the other animals, much bigger animals like the elephant with a big trunk that could bring much more water, they are standing there helpless. And they are saying to the hummingbird, ‘What do you think you can do? You are too little. This fire is too big. Your wings are too little and your beak is so small that you can only bring a small drop of water at a time.’
But as they continue to discourage it, it turns to them without wasting any time and it tells them, ‘I am doing the best I can.’

And that to me is what all of us should do. We should always be like a hummingbird. I may be insignificant, but I certainly don’t want to be like the animals watching the planet goes down the drain. I will be a hummingbird, I will do the best I can.