A viral video has left Kenyans fuming after a female police officer in Nairobi was caught on camera demanding a KSh 50 bribe from a matatu driver — and daring him to report her to Vigilance House, the police headquarters.
The short clip, which has since circulated widely on social media, captures the officer stopping a matatu accused of dropping passengers at an undesignated spot. When the driver questioned why he was being singled out while others went unchecked, the officer snapped back and confidently demanded a bribe to let him go.
“How much do you usually give?” the officer is heard asking, before boldly stating, “Fifty bob ni kawaida. Ukikataa, twende Vigilance.” Her defiant response, laced with arrogance, has sparked national outrage, with many Kenyans calling it yet another example of blatant police impunity on city roads.
In the video, the driver protests, explaining that several vehicles had offloaded passengers at the same location without being stopped. The officer, however, dismisses his complaints and later accepts the KSh 50 note, ending the tense exchange with a chilling remark: “Utazoea barabara.”
The footage has reignited debate over rampant bribery in Kenya’s traffic department, with social media users demanding that the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) and Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) take swift action.
“This force is rotten to the core,” wrote one angry Kenyan on X (formerly Twitter). Another added, “Her confidence shows she’s done it before — she doesn’t even fear being recorded.”
As public outrage grows, Kenyans are demanding accountability from the National Police Service, with many questioning whether real change will ever come to a system long accused of protecting its own.
By tuko