Police have launched an investigation into allegations of widespread bribery involving two senior traffic officers.
The officers under investigation are Mr. Joseph Chirchir, the Nairobi County Traffic Commandant, and a senior female officer accused of facilitating the collection of bribes on his behalf.
Sources indicate that the female officer has been using a WhatsApp group to solicit and gather funds from Traffic Police Officers in the Nairobi region.
These funds are reportedly deposited into her M-Pesa and bank accounts before being transferred to Mr. Chirchir.
The bribes are believed to be linked to extortion activities involving Public Service Vehicle (PSV) operators and other traffic offenders.
In response to these allegations, searches were conducted on Friday, February 21, 2025, at the residences of both officers in Nairobi and Baringo Counties.
The aim is to uncover the extent of bribery within the Traffic Department and ensure that appropriate actions are taken against all involved parties.
The investigations follow previous complaints from junior officers who alleged that Mr. Chirchir was demanding bribes and coercing them into contributing money for retirement parties.
The junior officers claimed that Mr. Chirchir had registered a phone number using someone else’s identity through which he solicited bribes.
They also alleged that he maintained a bank account into which the collected bribes were deposited.
The ongoing investigation underscores the National Police Service’s commitment to tackling corruption within its ranks.
According to several sources within the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC), Chirchir was released on police bond, but his safe, which was seized from his residence, remains under scrutiny.
“We wrote to the National Police Commission concerning what we seized and how we conducted the investigation,” said one source.
The investigation into Chirchir comes just days after the killing of Embakasi traffic base officer, Mr. Obala Wasiaya, who was manning traffic two weeks ago when President William Ruto was making his way through the area.
The driver of the Subaru (KDP 399V) involved in the incident was arrested, and investigations are ongoing.
However, several police sources have indicated that powerful figures are allegedly using their influence to deny justice to the victim’s family.
“The officer was supposed to bury his younger brother on Monday, followed by his uncle. This is a huge tragedy for our station. But powerful sources within the government are reportedly denying justice to the bereaved family members,” said one source.
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