Several vehicles were damaged after a large group of youth stormed the Ziwani matatu terminus on Wednesday, May 13 in Nakuru County.
The group of around 20 youth, said to be from the nearby Bondeni area, smashed the windows of the vehicles and sent the drivers and crew scampering for safety, before police intervened to calm the situation.
It was alleged that the incident boiled down to a row over the use of portable public toilets, with drivers claiming that they were threatened not to use the toilets without parting with a fee.
Kepha Wanyoike, a manager for Mololine Matatu Sacco, alleged that matatu crews were being relentlessly harassed and extorted by youth from Bondeni, making a direct appeal to Nakuru Governor Lee Kinyanjui.
The matatus had been moved to Ziwani from the main terminus by the Nakuru County Government as part of measures to control Covid-19.
With the new terminus close to the Bondeni slums where dreaded gangs such as Confirm Gang are alleged to be based, the matatu crews are demanding to be allowed to go back to the main terminus over insecurity fears.
"Governor Kinyanjui, if the matatu operators have crossed you, then we are sorry. But please, we are asking you, let us go back to a place with security where we can go about our business without interference.
"Even if it about stopping the spread of Coronavirus, this place is in fact seriously contributing to the spread of the virus. Let us go back to the main terminus," Wanyoike asserted.
Police arrived soon after the commotion began and dispersed the group of armed youth from the Ziwani grounds.
"The officers got here at the last minute after several cars were already damaged, they were still throwing stones and standing on the other side in a stand-off with the matatu crews, one eye-witness disclosed.
A large crowd, however, built up as the police interrogated the toilets issue, forcing them to use crowd control measures to disperse those who gathered.
The situation inevitably led to transport in Nakuru being paralyzed for several hours as matatu operators scrambled to fix their vehicles and get back on the road.
Police sought to assure the incensed matatu operators that the alleged vandals would be hunted down and brought to justice.
Watch a video capturing the events below:
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