Nairobi county askaris are on the spot after they clobbered residents in the CBD.

The drama unfolded when the residents tried to rescue a tuk-tuk rider who was resisting arrest.

"They were very ruthless to the helpless man. They first broke the windscreen of the tuk tuk and mishandled him. When we tried to raise alarm they started beating us with rungus. They even hit a pregnant woman," a witness who declined to be named said.

The fracas disrupted normal activities outside the National Archives building.

It took the intervention of GSU officers who were on patrol to save the man who was being arrested.

"When the GSU intervened, the rogue city askaris, who were more than 10, drove away towards Odeon Cinema," another witness said.

The residents now want Governor Mike Sonko to order an investigation and have the officers charged.

Nairobi county chief security officer Tito Kilonzi told the Star on Tuesday he was not aware of the incident.

"If it happened, it has not come to my attention but we will inquire from the askaris on the ground," Kilonzi said.

He said city inspectorate officers are not supposed to attack innocent members of the public regardless of the situation.