Harassed female hawker forced to climb on Kanjo vehicle with baby in Nairobi CBD

A female hawker in the Nairobi central business district on Monday caused a stir after she forced her way to the top of a county inspectorate vehicle.

A source exclusively told Pulselive.co.ke that the woman, who had her son with her, was harassed by county officers while selling her wares.

The county officers commonly known as kanjo confiscated the items the woman was selling and allegedly roughed her up before she decided to climb on their parked vehicle.

Harassed female hawker forced to climb on Kanjo vehicle with baby at Fire Station in Nairobi CBD Pulse Live Kenya

The frustrated woman was seen atop the vehicle breastfeeding her baby as senior police officers negotiated with her to alight.

Members of the public gathered round the scene in front of the Nairobi Fire Department buildings near Globe Roundabout and seemingly sided with the frustrated hawker.

Concerned citizen also took to Twitter to share photos of the incident inviting Governor Mike Sonko, Senator Johnson Sakaja and Woman Representative Esther Passaris to intervene.

County officers normally collect the items sold by hawkers on the streets and arrest the hawkers on site.

The hawkers and their wares are then bundled into the back cabin of the city inspectorate vehicle as they are ferried to city hall to be held as they await their day in court.

Harassed female hawker forced to climb on Kanjo vehicle with baby at Fire Station in Nairobi CBD Pulse Live Kenya

Often times the officers let the hawkers go before they reach city hall in exchange for a fee that they agree on while in the county vehicle.

Governor Sonko warns Kanjo over harassing Nairobi citizens

Governor Sonko has in the past warned his city inspectorate officers against harassing innocent civilians in the course of executing their duties.

A particular incident where the kanjos shot a tear gas canister into a mini bus with passengers in it caused the Governor to issue an official statement seeking to resolve the dispute.

"Hawa watakiona (they will regret this), why throw a tear gas canister to passengers when provoked by PSV operators. My apologies kwa wale wametupiwa (to those who were affected by the) tear gas," the Governor declared at the time.