In a heated exchange that has ignited debates on police accountability and public trust in Kenya’s security forces, prominent constitutional lawyer and Senior Counsel Ahmednasir Abdullahi sparked controversy by sharing videos on X (formerly Twitter) alleging that officers from the Special Anti-Terrorism Police Unit (ATP) near Archer’s Post, en route to Marsabit, were openly extorting bribes from motorists.
Abdullahi, known for his sharp critiques of governance issues, urged Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen and Public Service PS Raymond to intervene, framing the incident as a symptom of entrenched corruption within the force.
His post, which garnered over 1.4 million views, portrayed the checkpoint as a harassment hotspot, amplifying longstanding grievances about roadside policing practices that disproportionately affect ordinary Kenyans traveling northern routes.
Journalist Ayub Abdikadir, a seasoned reporter with Citizen TV Kenya, swiftly countered with a pointed rebuttal on the same platform, using the colloquial Swahili phrase “hapo nayo umeuma nje” roughly translating to “there you’ve gone and smelled foul” or “that’s where you’ve missed the mark” to dismiss Abdullahi’s claims as an unfair generalization.
Abdikadir, drawing from personal encounters, praised the ATPU officers as “very professional, respectful, and gallant,” emphasizing their sacrifices in high-risk anti-terrorism operations and arguing that such broad-brush criticisms undermine morale without evidence.
The response, which has since amassed over 37,000 views and widespread support in replies, underscores a rare public defense of police integrity amid pervasive narratives of brutality, revealing ethnic undercurrents with some commenters invoking Abdullahi’s Somali heritage to question his motives and highlighting how social media amplifies polarized views on law enforcement in Kenya’s fractious political landscape.
By Nairobi