Nairobi businesswoman Gloria Ntazola shared a detailed account of an unusual encounter with a city askari (enforcement officer) who entered her car, leading to an unexpected road trip. During an interview with NTV on Thursday, Ntazola described the incident, which began at Jevanjee Gardens around 3 pm on a Wednesday.
As she attempted to park her car, Ntazola was approached by four individuals, two of whom entered her vehicle and began insisting that she was in the wrong. Confused about the accusation, given that she had already paid for parking, Ntazola questioned their actions.
Noting that law enforcement officers are not permitted to enter a motorist’s car without consent, Ntazola decided to assert her rights, as she believed the officer’s actions were unjust. She recounted, “It’s against the law, and they know it, but normally in Kenya, they can just bully you, thinking that people don’t know their rights, so I couldn’t allow him to bully me.”
To address the situation, Ntazola locked the city askari inside her car and proposed taking him for a ride, emphasizing that she had plenty of time. Her intention was to demonstrate that citizens have rights that should be respected. She continued to narrate the course of events, saying, “I locked him inside my car and told him I have a lot of time; we can take rides with you because you wanted to waste time.”
Ntazola drove to her residence in Kilimani, showed the officer her home along State House Road, and then proceeded to Museum Hill. Subsequently, she took the Nairobi Expressway to Kitengela to avoid traffic congestion. She explained her choice, stating, “I knew if we used the normal road, we would encounter a lot of traffic, so I was like, you know what, I can just spend on this guy. I want to teach him a lesson.”
Although she was willing to continue the journey further, it grew late in the day, limiting her travel options. Ntazola also expressed suspicion that the inspectorate officer may have been an imposter because he continuously appeared to make calls for backup, yet no assistance arrived. She anticipated him signaling traffic police officers but observed no such communication.
Upon reaching Kitengela, Ntazola left the city askari at a location where it would be challenging for him to find public transportation. She emphasized her message to him, saying, “I told him, ‘Now you have to spend your money back to town and learn courtesy.'”
Ntazola posted a video of the entire incident on her TikTok account, which subsequently gained widespread attention across various social media platforms, including X (formerly Twitter). The video sparked significant reactions from Kenyans, with Ntazola noting that approximately 99 percent of those who reached out to her expressed support for her actions.
