By Tobias Ogutu
Reaching the President of Kenya for a one-on-one conversation is not easy for an ordinary citizen. The President has numerous matters to manage at both the international and national levels. However, the President maintains an office in every region across the country where any citizen can walk in to voice a concern, specifically the office of the Chief. Yet, for the residents of Nyalenda A, accessing the Chief’s office has been and continues to be a challenge due to the presence of gatekeepers.
The gatekeepers at Nyalenda A Chief camp are elderly men and women who refer to themselves as “Jo-luet chief,” meaning the Chief’s aides. These individuals rise each morning and dedicate their entire day to the Chief’s camp. You will often hear them claim that they assist the Chief in making decisions regarding local community matters that do not necessarily need to go to court.
The role played by these advisors may sound good and pleasing to the ear if you haven’t interacted with them. However, the day you seek assistance in the Chief’s camp, you will find these old buddies quite unappealing. These individuals are corrupt and will not permit you to meet the Chief without going through them first to extract some money from you. Despite their age, they show no fear or manners, and they will bluntly tell you, “Idwani wanto wachamni ang’o ka okidwagolo pesa, wan okondikwa gi sirikal.” This means: how do you expect us to put food on our table if you refuse to give us money? We aren’t government employees.
These “Jo-luet chief” stand outside the chief’s office to see anyone before entering. When you approach the chief’s office, one of them will call you over and politely inquire about the purpose of your visit. You must narrate your story to them first, before they determine whether it merits the chief’s attention. The assistance they provide is not complimentary; you will need to pay out of your pocket for their services.
These old buddies extract money from everyone except primary and high school students in uniform who come for document signing without their parents. The moment they see a parent accompanying the student, they will demand some money. If you are bold enough to ask why they are taking the money, they will claim that the office needs stationery and that they require payment for their services as well.
The chief is aware of this and appears to endorse his advisors’ misconduct because whenever you threaten these gatekeepers to inform the chief of their misbehavior, they laugh and confidently tell you to proceed. Many have reported the issue to the chief, but so far, no action has been taken. Even though they request a small sum of money, like fifty shillings, one hundred shillings, or at most one hundred and fifty shillings, which some people readily provide, sending away those who cannot pay is unjust.
The national government must investigate and tackle the impunity infiltrating the Nyalenda A chief’s office and any other locations across the country facing similar issues. Public offices should not have gatekeepers obstructing citizens from accessing services.
