Sakaja warns traders against impostors amid business inspections

Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja has issued a stern warning to business owners and traders across the capital, urging them to remain vigilant against rogue elements and individuals posing as county enforcement officers.

The warning comes as the Nairobi City County government intensifies business licence inspections and permit verifications across all 17 sub-counties.

To combat extortion, harassment, and unauthorized raids, the county government has officially published a list of 364 vetted and approved inspection officers deployed across Nairobi's wards.

Governor Sakaja stressed that any individual claiming to be a county inspector who cannot produce valid identification or whose name is absent from the official registry must be treated as an impostor and reported immediately to law enforcement for arrest.

The ongoing county-wide enforcement sweep is designed to ensure strict compliance with the Nairobi City County Trade Licensing Act, 2019, while simultaneously decentralizing revenue collection. However, concerns regarding extortion, intimidation, and illegal demand for informal payments have prompted strict new protocols for field inspections.

Governor Sakaja emphasized that all legitimate personnel have undergone specialized vetting, training, and briefing sessions before deployment.

“All authorised officers have been issued with official identification badges and are required to introduce themselves and present their badges before conducting any inspection,” Sakaja stated.

He further noted that accountability is paramount during these operations, warning that unauthorized individuals exploiting the exercise for financial gain will face the full force of the law.

“Anyone claiming to be an inspection officer who is not on this official list or cannot produce a valid identification badge is an impostor and should be reported to the relevant authorities for immediate action, including arrest where appropriate,” he added.

To ensure transparency and allow business owners to verify inspection teams, the county administration detailed the deployment of the 364 authorized officers across Nairobi’s 17 sub-counties:

Starehe & Kamukunji: 28 authorized officers each

Mathare: 28 authorized officers

Ruaraka: 19 officers

Dagoretti South, Kasarani, Embakasi South, Embakasi North, Embakasi Central, Embakasi East, Embakasi West, & Njiru: 12 officers each

Dagoretti North, Kibra, & Westlands: 11 officers each

Makadara: 8 officers

Langata: 5 officers

Traders operating within these regions are encouraged to verify field officers against this published list before granting access or submitting to permit verifications.

The push for enhanced transparency follows mounting complaints from small-scale traders, hawkers, and business owners who have previously raised alarms over unlawful evictions, intimidation, and the arbitrary destruction or confiscation of goods even when businesses possessed valid operating permits.

Elected leaders and international bodies have previously flagged irregularities within the county's enforcement framework. Kamukunji MP Yusuf Hassan voiced deep concern over the treatment of traders, particularly in commercial hubs like Eastleigh and Gikomba.

“I am deeply concerned by reports of continued harassment, intimidation and arbitrary arrests of small-scale traders, hawkers and business owners by Nairobi City County askaris in Eastleigh and Gikomba, including the destruction and forceful confiscation of their goods and property,” Hassan remarked.

Furthermore, a World Bank report highlighted systemic challenges involving enforcement officers and police personnel, noting recurring issues with informal cash payments, seizures, and undue pressure placed on small business operators and boda boda riders.

Under the provisions of the Nairobi City Inspectorate Act, 2017, legitimate inspection officers possess the legal authority to arrest individuals without a warrant for violations such as trading without a valid licence, operating in prohibited zones, or obstructing public walkways.

However, recent disruptions particularly night inspections targeting bars, clubs, and restaurants over liquor licensing, noise regulations, and operating hours sparked widespread outrage over aggressive tactics and potential abuse by unauthorized actors.

In direct response to trader grievances and reports of disruptive enforcement tactics, Governor Sakaja took decisive action by banning night raids on entertainment venues with immediate effect.

The publication of the official list of inspection officers marks a major milestone in restoring order, protecting legitimate business operations, and curbing rogue elements within Nairobi’s commercial sector.