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You are here: Home / Archives for police

Escorted by the Police…

June 2, 2010 By Jillian

“No. No. No,” the officer shouted as we left our hotel. Waving us back into the hotel he yelled something in his radio and motioned for us to wait. Confused, we looked at each other and shrugged our shoulders. Five minutes later the officer received a message on his radio and escorted us to dinner. Fully capable of order and eating yummy falafel on our own, the whole situation seemed like overkill.

Just one night away from Cairo and the completion of our Capetown to Cairo overland adventure, we were annoyed at the constant police escort we seemed unable to shake driving from Luxor to Cairo. A few years ago foreigners were required to travel this route in convoy, but to our surprise that system has been downgraded to individual police escorts. Clearly the Egyptian government felt it necessary to protect us, but from what? No explanation was given on why two police cars, one in front of us and one behind, and eight officers had to escort us through Asiyut, nor why we weren’t able to leave them behind anywhere. For nearly the entire journey we had at least one police vehicle in front of us leading the way or a plain clothed (but armed!) officer seated in our front seat. It was strange, uncomfortable and frankly attracted a lot more attention than we would have on our own.

Arriving in Cairo we subtly inquired about the police escort. According to the guys at our Cairo hotel, the area from Luxor to Cairo is the center of Islamic Fundamentalism in Egypt. This may be true, but walking through the market in Asyut, even with our armed escort, we attracted only curious and positive attention. Several teenage girls in chadors approached me and in excellent English asked my name, where I was from and where I was going. They seemed very excited to meet me and welcomed me to their city. It was the exact opposite of feeling threatened. Other Egyptians at our hotel in Cairo gave us various theories on why we needed such a heavy escort, none of which we were able to validate.

Perhaps its better that we don’t know the danger we were in. We never felt unsafe or threatened anywhere in Egypt even stopping in villages along the Luxor to Cairo route. Without a doubt the Egyptian police were extremely professional and polite, going so far as to refuse baksheesh (tips). Well ok, one group of officers did repeatedly request we stop for coffee or tea and when we finally relented, they drank as well, so mostly without baksheesh. Given that the government felt their presence was necessary we appreciated their company, but would have rather known what we were getting ourselves into.  We never felt unsafe in Egypt, but having the police escort made us wonder what we had missed.

Filed Under: Africa, Egypt, Headline, Middle East Tagged With: police, safety

Corruption & Bribery…are we going to jail?

April 15, 2010 By Jillian

We’ve heard awful stories about corruption and bribery since we crossed the border last year. Dire warnings from guidebooks and other travelers generally give the impression that officials are out to get you in every country. That hasn’t been our experience, but we have met a few bad apples.

Driving down a main street in Nairobi after dark, we were in the backseat of our friend’s Land Rover when we hit a police check point. Police check points are common throughout Africa, you may remember our last experience at one in Zimbabwe.

Motioning us to pull over, we maneuvered the SUV onto the dirt shoulder next to the police officer. Smiling at us, the officer inquired as to our destination, how long we had been in Kenya and for the driver’s license. All normal requests. Then he requested that we take the sunshade off the back window so he could “see everyone in the car better.”

Immediately he asked Danny and I to get out of the vehicle. Unsure what was going on, we asked if there was a problem. “You didn’t have your seat belts on in the backseat,” he told us. “This is a big problem.” Protesting as we got out of the car, we weren’t sure if he was serious or if he was looking for a bribe.

Soon enough it was clear. “You must pay a charge of 5000 shillings,” he said once Danny and I were safely back in the car. Immediately we started to protest and declared that we did not have that kind of money on us. “Then you will go to the police station, either in this car or the two in the backseat can get out and I will call for mobile transport,” he said expecting us to protest further. Instead, we agreed to go to the police station if necessary, but pointed out that we would not have the 5000 shillings there either. Confused by our acceptance to go to the police station, the officer stumbled and fell back on his original line- 5000 shillings. Denying again that sort of cash, we asked what our options were, since he refused to tell us the location of the police station. It was clear he was looking for a bribe, but unclear what exactly he wanted, since there was no way we were paying him 5000 shillings.

One of the vehicle’s owners, in the passenger seat, reached around back and produced a nice bottle of wine. Placing it in his lap, he asked the officer again what our options were. Looking at us, Danny again reiterated that we’d be happy to go to the police station, this time adding that we’d call our embassy upon arrival. Taking a step back from the car, the officer didn’t know what to do. Reiterating that we had no money, just a bottle of wine, our friend asked the officer again what we could do, noting that we were in his custody at this point until the situation was resolved. Clearly uncomfortable that we used the words custody and embassy, the officer quickly noted that we were not in his custody despite the fact we couldn’t leave.

Finally, turning off the car and interior lights, our friends look at the officer patiently waiting for him to declare a resolution. Reaching into the car for the bottle of wine, the officer noted that he would give it to his brother, on principle. The second officer, who walked up in the middle of the whole thing chuckled at Danny and reminded us again, that it had only been a small issue, nothing very big at all. Walking away, they set us free to go.

This is not a story meant to imply that corruption is rampant in Africa or that all police officers want bribes, far from it. We have not been in Africa long enough to know what is the norm and although we’ve heard countless stories similar to the situation we just described, it would be unfair to make any sort of judgement. Most of our experiences here with government officials has been pleasant and professional. A phrase we have learned and use regularly pretty much sums it all up- this is Africa and this is just sometimes how it goes.

Filed Under: Africa, Headline, Kenya Tagged With: bribes, police, travel

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