Caught on Tape: The Thugs Kidero Use to Terrorise Political Opponents in Nairobi

Jeff Otieno (L) with Nairobi Governor Evans Kidero at a past function

Last week in skirmishes with protesting City Park hawkers, the governors so-called ‘bodyguards’ drew pistols and were seen menacingly brandishing them and shooting int heir air to scare hostile hawkers who had just had the unusual experience of their watermelons burning to ashes.

What is even more intriguing in the entire scenario was that the people wielding guns were not police officers but employees of the notorious City Inspectorate Department.

In town, they are commonly referred to as ‘Kanjo’ and are known for their ruthlessness, barbaric behavior and penchant for bribes. At city park, you had two Kanjo’s one identified as Ombasa, and the other as Cheruiyot, ignoring the command of regular cops to keep away their guns and instead use teargas to disperse the rowdy mob. One wonders if their intention was to kill someone!

Careful examination of the footage in which the governor was roughed up by angry hawkers reveals that police did not remove their guns ans neither did their at any point attempt to shoot in the air. These cops are seen shouting at the askaris as they surround the governor with intention to herd him into the safety of his car, but the governor stubbornly refuses as trigger happy Cheruiyot and Ombasa keep shooting in the air.

The Kenyan constitution DOES NOT recognize the city inspectorate department as part of the armed forces. ‘Kanjo’ have no training in handling firearms and are not authorized by any law to carry firearms while discharging official duties, which are BTW not limited to providing bodyguard services to the governor.

The questions are: where did these askaris get this guns, who and why trained them to handle guns? As public servants who are supposed to be uniformed while on duty, why did they ignore orders from trained police officers? What is the difference between these goons guarding the governor and those goons guarding the Senator of Nairobi who were recently interdicted not for shooting in the air, but for merely brandishing weapons in public. Who will interdict Kidero’s guards as we establish how they became to be armed?

In another photo, Kidero is seen meeting Brian Otiende Ayanga who was recently accused of robbing Jane Ndung’u off Ksh 30 million around Westlands. Brian was part of a four man gang which waylaid the lady after she withdrew the money from a bank based at Lion Place.

Kidero also ferried more than 100 of the armed gang to Waondo during the burial of former Senator Otieno Kajwang’. Kidero’s gang fought with other VIP guards over the control of security around the VIP dias.