Cops in Kenya have really evolved. Not much but its noticiable. They now have badges in their chests inprinted with their full names and service nos. Not so while i was a young man.
I had just been employed and was free to use my salary as i wished. So i took my girfriend out to view some movie. Her name was Eunice and she had just finished school.
On our way from the movies, while escorting my girlfriend home, we were met by the familiar blare of a torch beam directed on our eyes. Of course we were blinded and confused. But i had on several times encountered this scenario and could if asked repeat the stupid questions that would be asked of us.
They were asked in the same breadth and you were left to choose which to answer. ' Who are you and who are your parents and grandparents. What do you do for a living and where are your identification cards and work identification cards'. Before we could muster what to say, another round of questions. ' You know the night belongs to either the thieves or the cops, whom among these two are you?' Of course we were non of them.
I had with me only an ID card but my girlfriend having just been out of school had none. I therefore didn't dare remove mine. I had a brighter idea.
'We are both students and are coming from night studies fom my home and now am escorting my classmate to her home.' I offered the most sensible answer from the barrage of questions, hoping to get away with it.
' Why do you study at night?' Interjected the burly cop.
' Because we have been told so by our teacher.' I offered.
' It is illegal to study at night. Get nearer both of you.'
We did like we were told and in the twinkle of an eye i was slapped right across the face. My girlfriend got the same treatment and we were told to run home. 'Thats the punishment for students, do you hear.'He barked after us.
We were angry for being beaten for nothing, but that was then. We were lucky. Some cops were known to have a roll of bang (Cannabis Sattiva) and they would pretend to search your pockets for the same. If they found you had money on you, they would drop the roll into your pocket and claim that you were a bhang smoker.
They would then suggest you could buy your freedom with the money on you and you would oblige since it was their word against yours.
Some unscrupulous guys had taken the que and would adorn cops overcoats, leach a goat which they would pretend was a police dog and do the beats in twos. Those unlucky would fall victim to the guys tough talk.
I wish then they had nos and names on them.