Nairobi has been experiencing heavy rainfall in the past few weeks and it has emerged that armed thugs within the CBD have been taking advantage of the situation to hijack matatus.
One instance was reported on Wednesday evening when a 30-seater Embasava matatu heading to Embakasi was hijacked after four passengers turned out to be thugs.
This can be attributed to the fact that there was no frisking of passengers boarding the matatu in the CBD due to the heavy rainfall and chaos experienced while jostling to get into the bus.
The armed thugs used the confusion to get inside the matatu and later brandished their weapons before robbing all the passengers on board.
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According to police reports, they made away with cash, mobile phones and other valuables from the terrified passengers before commandeering the matatu to Babadogo area.
It is alleged that they were armed with pistols and knives and police have already opened investigations into the matter.
This hijacking incident comes just under a week after a policeman was shot dead when a Neo Kenya Mpya bus he was travelling in was hijacked along Thika Road.
The thugs are reported to have frisked the passengers and upon learning he had a gun, stabbed him and took his firearm.
“The gang stole from the other passengers before escaping on foot,” a police report read in part.
According to witnesses, the officer was not able to act fast to defend himself and other passengers.
The city experienced heavy rainfall on Wednesday evening leading to traffic snarl-ups on most major roads.
Most PSVs had also hiked fares as some roads were impassable and had to alternative routes to get to their respective destinations.
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