@ Watchman / Dennis

Unfortunately, (and this is my frustration - income earning/job holding Kenyans are very very very complacent) and like to avoid what we call "getting into trouble" for their own "safety and the convenience of self and family" even when they know they are right.

KENYA TRAFFIC POLICE:

Case and point, I was doing between 70-80km on the Nakuru-Naivasha highway when I was pulled along side 10 other Kenyans for "overspeeding" , I politely explained to the arresting junior officers that I cannot afford to do the 120km/hr they had pinned on me; and I told them to show me that speed...

They took me to their "leader" who was making Kenyans line up on a receipt book to pay "fines" ;; the leader turned out to be a very rude man and he shouted at me to shut up and  put "5000 shillings on that book, write my name and go and explain my case to the judge"

I tried to explain why i cannot do speeds above 100km/hr with my car; but the big stomach guy could not believe I was arguing with him; and he got angrier, shoutier, bordering on dangerous. I refused to back down.. and I said I am not giving him 5000 shillings !!

I told him to show me the "overspeeding" they were accusing me off; and he shouted that he is the authority and he knows what he is saying and with that (they had guns) they took away my insurance and license.

Other "nice" kenyans witnessing this scene quickly "paid" to avoid trouble. I managed to convince some retired officer who was driving behind me that we had better go all the way with this case. We said we had rather pay 20,000/- shillings on a court of law (cos one will always be found guilty) rather than give the shouting angry man who was obviously looking for January school fees...

He was looking for January school fees because legally, the cash bail is Ksh. 3000; and as we later found out, the policemen were there illegally and out of their area of jurisdiction; they had even come with their own private cars (these cops were very well paid )

-To cut the story short; the remaining 'niice' kenyans bribed their way out before we got to the nearest Gilgil police cells.
-Me and the retired government agent found ourselves in a smelly police cell (the retired government agent got himself a lawyer)
-My folks made a few calls to some government people and the Police Unit ran away
-Paid 3000/- for bail; which was refunded a few days latter

The funny thing is that my folks got mad at me for arguing my case; they said it was better to bribe the police officers and avoid "inconvenience"... But if the two of us dint take a stand, how many more Kenyans could have continued being exhorted on those Highway spots on that first week of January ?

NOW IN A PARALLEL KENYAN UNIVERSE:

All the 30+   arrested Kenyans could have challenged the police speed guns and insisted to see their speed (taking into account the doppler effect of an approaching object and taking into account the minimum braking speed within 50m from the speed gun holding cop)

We could have all not given "fines" and we could have ended in the Gilgil police cells - and paid 3000/- bail, and appeared in a court of law; and the police men would get nothing ! All taxes, fines would go to the government.

And if we persisted with this pattern; policemen would never extort road side bribes, because they would get nothing !