Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission's boss Twalib Mbarak has hit out at the traffic police officers over alleged corruption on the roads.
Speaking at Kibuye market on Wednesday, the CEO declared that corruption involving the traffic officers and the road users was still rampant in the country.
In the Nyanza region, for instance, Mbarak claimed that traffic officers deployed in various traffic bases were heavily armed for fear of being arrested by detectives from the commission he heads.
"I was in the region and Kisii, all the officers were armed with AK47 assault rifles for fear of being arrested by our officers," he said.
"I'm not against the officers arming themselves. I'm also not saying that they shouldn't be armed but that should happen only when necessary, " he said.
In the past, EACC detectives have arrested some traffic officers while on duty during sting operations.
Many such officers end up in court charged with soliciting bribes.
On Wednesday, the CEO asked the Kisumu County security team led by the area county commissioner Hussein Allassow to address the issue of rampant corruption on the roads within the county.
"The County Security Committee, please work on the issue to address traffic corruption here," he said.
The officers are carrying AK47s for fear of being arrested.
Traffic checks have been turned into toll stations.
He also appealed to members of the public to record, on video, while using their phones any traffic police officer seen taking bribes from motorists.
"I want to ask the members of the public. If you're a passenger and the vehicle has been flagged by the police, take out your phone and record," he said.
The EACC boss claimed that all the police checks along the Kenyan roads have been turned into toll stations by rogue officers.
He appealed to all Kenyans to join the commission in the fight against corruption.
The CEO announced that EACC has recovered grabbed land that belongs to the Judiciary that is worth Sh 950 million.
The commission, he said, has also recovered parcels worth Sh2bn that belong to the Kenya Railways Corporation but were grabbed in Kisumu alone.
He was accompanied by Kisumu governor Prof Anyan'g Nyong'o, his deputy Dr Matthews Owili, Kisumu city manager Abala Wanga, EACC Western Kenya region manager Abraham, Kemboi and a host of County top officials.
