Traders arm youths to protect businesses in Machakos

Several traders on Tuesday armed tens of youths to protect their businesses from invasion by anti-government protesters in Machakos County.

The armed youths remained vigil outside their ‘bosses’ business premises in some of the major towns within the county on Tuesday.

Police officers at some point engaged the hired youth who were armed with ‘rungus’ after they caused what the security officers termed as confusion.

They had been according to the police officer mistaken to be goons.

“We at first thought the youth was armed youths up for something until we were informed that they had been hired by individual traders to secure their businesses from destruction by the protestors,” the officer told the Star at Mlolongo town during the demonstrations.

Some traders told the Star that they resorted to hiring the youth services due to losses some of them went through in the past anti-government demonstrations.

Other towns where youths were mobilised to protect businesses include Kyumbi.

After the police officers were informed of the locals’ arrangements of having the youths armed to secure the premises, the ‘guards’ were spared but advised not to move from the premises they had been assigned to protect.

The youths in their tens crowded in front of different buildings, shops, and business premises within Mlolongo town as demonstrators involved police in running battles for the better part of the day.

The demonstrators early Tuesday barricaded the Nairobi-Mombasa Highway at Mlolongo police station before they were repulsed and the road cleared by the officers.

They had lit live fires on the Mombasa – Nairobi lane making motorists divert on the Nairobi expressway.

Public service vehicles were kept off the highway with a few ending their destinations at Mlolongo town.

Meanwhile, after the demonstrators were dispersed by the officers, they re-grouped in small groups and engaged the ati-riot police in cat-and-mouse games in Mlolongo streets.

They were, however, completely kept off the highway.

Some of the demonstrators, however, pelted the officers with stones as they dispersed them using teargas canisters.

There was heavy police presence along the Nairobi – Mombasa highway. The Nairobi Expressway remained a no-go zone for the demonstrators.

GSU officers took over Mlolongo town with other formations of the National Police Service offering backup.

Several long-distance drivers parked their trucks and trailers in various filling stations along the Nairobi-Mombasa and Nairobi–Namanga highways for safety and security.

Police officers in tens of motor vehicles kept vigil in major establishments like banks, supermarkets, as well as filling stations to prevent the demonstrators from destroying and looting private and public property as had been earlier witnessed during the same demonstrations.

All motorists and bodaboda operators had twigs mounted on them to avoid being attacked by the protesters.

Pedestrians were also forced to carry twigs to pass through points where the demonstrators were.

The few bodaboda operators who ignored participating in the demonstrations and instead concentrated on their daily hustles made a kill.

Some charged as much as Sh1,000 from Mlolongo town to Kitengela town, while those who sought the riders’ services from Mlolongo to Athi River town were charged at least Sh700.

Bus fares between Mlolongo and Kitengela are usually at Sh40 on normal days while it costs Sh5o at most to travel from Mlolongo to Athi River on normal days.

The demonstrations didn’t only disrupt transport, but also education and medical services.

Some schools, especially private, day ones had their children stay at home for fear of attacks by the demonstrators.

A woman also reportedly delivered at Mlolongo Level 3 hospital, a facility belonging to Machakos County Government, with the assistance of an ambulance driver and cleaner after she found no healthcare providers at the hospital during the demonstrations on Tuesday.

The incident happened at around 2.30 pm.

In Athi River town, there was normalcy as businesses went on as usual.