Business came to a halt at the Kenya Pipeline Eldoret hub after hundreds of long-distance drivers stormed the premises in protest against alleged corruption involving senior customs officials.
The drivers, some affiliated with the Long Distance Drivers and Conductors Association, disrupted operations at the busy terminal on Monday, accusing customs and management staff of poor service delivery despite regular payment of levies.
Waving twigs, the drivers blocked the entrance and exit points of the facility as police officers deployed to the scene struggled to restore order.
Amid chants, the protesters named several customs officials they claimed were behind a cartel that had made it difficult for them to carry out their duties efficiently.
Reacting to the protests, one of the drivers claimed that among the tactics used by the customs officials was charging exorbitant fees ranging from Ksh2,000, depending on the type of load carried by each driver.
''This driving job is almost useless!! Every loading place you lose not less than Ksh2,000, varying from the type of cargo you are loading,'' a driver lamented.
However, at the time of publishing, neither the authorities nor the customs had issued a statement on the allegations by the drivers.
The developments come barely a day after the Motorists Association of Kenya, in a scathing statement, condemned what it termed as rampant extortion, abuse of power, and intimidation tactics being perpetrated by rogue officers within the National Police Service under the guise of traffic enforcement.
The association expressed outrage over the transformation of traffic policing from a public safety service to a predatory enterprise that harasses and extorts ordinary Kenyans.
They accused some officers of operating like an extortion cartel, exploiting motorists rather than protecting them.
''The stories are horrifying. False speed limits are being planted to trap innocent drivers. Matatu operators are being asked to pay ‘protection fees’ or face arbitrary arrests. Officers are lurking on feeder roads like hunters waiting for prey—not to serve, but to pounce,'' the statement read.
The association called for a comprehensive audit of all traffic police operations, particularly the collection and handling of cash bail and fines. According to the group, transparency is long overdue and could help uncover long-standing corruption and misuse of funds by officers on the ground.
Additionally, they proposed the formation of a special task force led by civilian oversight bodies and independent prosecutors to investigate what they termed as “extortion cartels” operating within the police service. The task force, they said, should operate free of police interference and with full legal authority.
