A boda boda rider died on the spot after a lorry hit him at Tartar Junction along the Kitale–Kapenguria highway road. A group of youths set ablaze the lorry protesting the boda boda rider’s death on Friday evening.
The youths, accompanied by boda boda riders and residents barricaded the road with stones and logs, affecting transportation along the road. The vehicle which was involved in the accident was coming from Chepareria heading to Kitale.
The accident happened few meters from a roadblock on the road where the lorry driver was roughed up by the angry youths before he was rescued by traffic police officers.
The protesters closed the entire highway causing a heavy snarl-up that stretched for several kilometres on the road, as they voiced their complaints concerning the increased number of accidents on the road.
The police officers had to intervene but they had to deal with the angry mob, who tried to block them from taking away the deceased’s body. After a short confrontation, with the officers forced to use teargas canisters, they managed to take the body.
The locals accused the driver of reckless driving and urged the Ministry of Transport in conjunction with the County government to set up bumps along the road on that accident spot.
Isaac Rotich, a resident in the area, said that recently the area Governor ordered the removal of unnecessary roadblocks along the road but they are still there.