Nairobi News

HustleNews

Sonko suspends top officials linked to bribery ring at City Hall


Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko has suspended two top officials linked to a bribery ring in City Hall.

The two senior inspectorate officers are said to collude with city askaris to solicit bribes from hawkers.

Chrispine Caleb, acting director of operations and his assistant Albert Kipkoech Cherop have been sent on compulsory leave to pave way for investigation.

The two are direct supervisors of seven askaris who were arrested over the weekend and charged with robbing hawkers in Eastleigh and Forest Road.

“It has been discovered that the corrupt inspectors collude with their juniors (kanjo askaris) to allow hawkers to invade Nairobi streets after pocketing bribes from them.The bribe from hawkers is shared from Jnr Kanjo Askaris to the top command of City Inspectorate,” said Governor Sonko in a statement.

TAKE OVER

The governor on Wednesday deployed Joseph Kipsang, a superintendent, to take over as acting director of operations in the City Inspectorate Department with immediate effect.

Mr Kipsang new roles include security enforcement, policy compliance and development plans. He will be deputised by Peter Mbaya Francis.

Their new duties were outlined in a letter written by acting County Secretary Simon Leboo.

The changes come at a time when Mr Sonko is grappling with streamlining the Inspectorate Department, on the one hand, and keeping  hawkers from the city centre.

Already, Mr Sonko has highlighted both short term and long term measures to regulate the growing number of hawkers that has hit over 10,000 this year.