A Nairobi lawyer has narrated how an encounter with a rogue Range Rover driver almost turned deadly.
Soyinka Lempaa, accompanied by his brother, was driving along Kangundo Road on Friday, 12.30 PM when the incident happened.
Interestingly, investigations by TV47 Digital reveal that the said Range Rover (whose registration number we cannot disclose for legal reasons) is registered as a Toyota Hilux pick-up.
“As we approached Joska from Tala on Kangundo Road, a well fed fellow driving the Range Rover and carrying some man and a group of women in the backseat was driving on the wrong side and wanted us to give him way by force!,” Lempaa says. “I refused to allow him break traffic rules.”
A confrontation ensued. “When we resisted and insisted that he keeps left, he came out of his big Range Rover and told us to move out of the road for him to pass. We told him to keep his left and or call the police so that we are arrested for whichever traffic offense.”
It was at this juncture, Lempaa says, that the driver “put his right hand into his smelly pants as if to remove his gun. I dared him on.”
A small crowd gathered on either side of the busy road to witness the ensuing drama. Traffic built up.
“We challenged him to crush our small car using his Range Rover,” wrote Lempaa on Facebook. “Some fools started hurling insults at us. However some told them that we were on the right.”
Subdued, the driver of the Range Rover reversed and stuck to his rightful side of the road. All the while, he was hurling insults at the lawyer and his bother.
According to the National Transport and Safety Authority records, the registration number of the said Range Rover belongs to a 2005, grey Toyota Hilux pick-up.
The vehicle was first registered on January 14, 2011, under joint ownership between a company and individual.
It has since changed hands to whole ownership by a different individual.
Withdrawal of Fire-Arm License
Lempaa, well-known in social media as a defender of public rights, is now demanding that the government withdraws the Range Rover owner’s fire arm license.
“We therefore are obliged to make a demand which we hereby do that, if the driver or owner of this Range Rover has a licensed gun, the government should order this ignoramus to return it forthwith.”
Cases of drivers of” big cars” bullying other motorists off the road are rife in Nairobi. Activist Boniface Mwangi has led a campaign against these bullies, encouraging motorists to hold their forte and record such encounters.
Boniface Mwangi’s Encounter
In January this year, Mwangi refused to give way to a three-vehicle VIP convoy driving on the wrong side of Lang’ata Road. “Legally, you’re not breaking any law and you can’t be arrested. The best way to be safe, is to always lock your doors, and if possible record everything. You lock the doors because Kenya police officers behave like criminals, they can snatch your car keys, phone or even assault you. It’s not worth taking that risk. Lock your car, roll your windows up, stay put and record their impunity,” advised Mwangi.
Small-car Contempt
Lempaa says the bullying is also driven by contempt some motorists harbour for small cars. “If you are a driver of a small car, do not be intimidated by drivers driving big cars. Most of them are corrupt tenderpreneurs. Do not also be intimidated by the police who hate those who drive small cars.”
