Human rights activists in Eldoret town are now advising traders in Eldoret town that have faced harassment from enforcement officers to petition the County Assembly.
In recent days, there have been increased claims of county enforcement officers harassing traders.
Some of the traders have even claimed to have been assaulted by the officers.
But while admitting to having received numerous complaints from the traders, the Centre for Human Rights and Democracy Director Kipkorir Ng’etich says petitioning the county assembly to probe the matter would be the best route for them.
In an interview with Uasin Gishu News, Ng’etich says once a petition is filed, it will be easier for the traders to get justice in the future.
“We have been advising the traders to follow the available channels in raising their concerns, the main one being petitioning the County Assembly and the county legal team,” noted the CHRD boss.
“Once a petition has been formally filed, the matter will be dealt with exhaustively. But even if the county assembly does not help them, they can still use petition papers to argue their case before a court of law,” he added.
A petition submitted to the County Assembly is usually committed to a relevant committee, which then probes the matter and drafts a report that is subject to debate and adoption on the floor of the house.
Roque enforcement officers
Should the traders heed to the calls to petition the MCAs over their continued harassment and assault, their petition, if it meets the set threshold, will be handled by the Trade Committee.
Huruma Member of County Assembly Kimani Wanjohi in a recent media briefing claimed there is a group of rogue county enforcement officers that is behind cases of harassment against the traders in Eldoret town.
Wanjohi claims the group goes around the town demanding bribes as well as sexual favours from female traders.
“There are more than 30 individuals who go about harassing traders. They extort money and collect bribes from licensed traders and if they don’t pay, their goods are confiscated. Some of them go the extra mile of demanding sexual favours from the female traders,” claims the Huruma MCA.
The matter has already been brought to the attention of the police who have since launched an investigation.
Uasin Gishu County Police Commander Moses Mureithi however asked any trader that has faced harassment, assault or any form of discrimination from county askaris to report the matter to the police.
“We are following up on all these cases. Those found culpable will be arraigned in a court of law. We plead with the public and those who have been unfairly harassed by the said askaris to report such cases as no one is above the law,” Mureithi said.
