Did I punch him? Oh yeah. Did I beat them up? Of course, and it felt good, so good. People are not supposed to come to your premises and make wild accusations about you and your activities. People are supposed to be respectful of your space. Even the authorities are supposed to bust into your place like you walk around loaded. They are supposed to ask nicely.
Three days ago, a couple of Nairobi City Council askaris came to my business premises and demanded to see the business registration documents. The certificate was hanging on the wall. Knock yourself out, I retorted pointing at a framed document on the wall. They checked it and left without a word. I went about what I was doing and left shortly afterwards leaving my assistants in charge.
I got a call an hour later, about 10.30am. The buggers were back. I rushed back to my business to see what they wanted. They were accompanied by two tough talking officers of the anti-piracy unit. Apparently somebody reported that my computers were harboring a few gigs worth of pirated material. I told them they weren’t and so they should not waste both of our time. One of them wrote something while the other called someone on their phone and told them to hurry.
The caller asked to check my computers for pirated material and I declined. At this point, I asked to see some sort of identification and prove that they were indeed who they said they were. They did. Then the two council askaris decided there was nothing I could do and they will check even if I refuse. I stood my ground and told them to go to hell or bring a warrant. Unfortunately, things don’t work like that in this country. They restrained me and gained access to one of the computers. It was no point fighting off three grown ass men so I let it go but not for long.
I saw the mop at one corner of the room and in it a great weapon. Without any thoughts I took it and attacked my oppressors. Three of them ran out but the guy going through the computer wasn’t quick enough so he got served. Several punches before he hit the door. The caller promised me misery.
They ran to get the police. My two assistants who were kinda dumb-founded when the scuffle ensued composed themselves and tried to talk sense into me. They argued that I should just pay the council askaris and the anti-piracy goons off and let them be. The damage was already done, I told them. The police came and took me in.
Three days of remand, threats, intimidation and extortion. Three days in a hell hole. All for money. Well, they had me convinced I may never see anyone I knew for a long time unless I bribed someone. How much? Thirty thousand bob. Well you read write, sh. 30,000. I ended up paying sh. 20,000 but it hurts. It hurts to think that someone might have orchestrated this whole show and enjoyed my misery in the shadows. It hurts that the very people supposed to serve and protect us are our predators. I have heard it said that some people would rather meet gangsters at night than meet the police. I think now I know why.
Am I alone in my predicament? You tell me.
--------------------------------------------Signed: Dr. Mwas
--------------------------------------------
1 comment:
bad encounter with the other side of "law" kenyan style. sometimes it baffles one to just listen to the so called "law enforcers" as they try to argue things and you wonder what bunch of neanderthals we have.
it's not only in business premises will they harass and intimidate, practically everywhere. council askaris are always visiting building sites in the pretense they are checking contractors who are building without approved plans! the result is what we've seen and read in the news of collapsed buildings etc etc. because all they want is quick money, which they have not worked for.
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