The demonstrators who blocked the Nanyuki-Nairobi highway using rocks and bonfires were protesting the death of 31 year old Antony Muthui.
Muthui was allegedly killed by a vehicle belonging to a senior police officer that was being driven by the officer’s drunken son last Saturday.
The demonstrators who were carrying an empty coffin marched to the Nanyuki police station in protests and later converged along the major highway that connects Kenya to Ethiopia through Moyale where they blocked the road for more than five hours.
Motorists were forced to use alternative routes though estates within Nanyuki town to get in or out of the town due to the demo.
Police officers in anti riot gear were on high alert throughout the demonstrations as they tried to calm the riders to no avail.
Laikipia East Deputy County Commissioner Esther Mwamure and area OCPD KizitoMutoro who led the security personnel were forced to cut short their address to the angry protesters after they were booed down with chants of “We want justice.”
Laikipia Deputy Governor was also heckled by the protestors when he tried to address them and had to leave in a huff after sensing the hostility of the crowd.
Nanyuki bodaboda operators chairman Peter Kibaki said that they were protesting because police had showed laxity in dealing with the accident and charge the alleged culprit in court.
“The police want to sweep this matter under the carpet yet our colleague was killed in an accident by a drunken motorist. Why are they not taking the driver of the vehicle to court,” said Kibaki amid anti police chants from fellow bodaboda operators.
Laikipia East MP Amin Deddy managed to cool down the protestors when he promised to ensure the alleged accident culprit is charged in court soonest possible and as well have officers who might have tried to obstruct justice transferred.
“I want to assure you that any officer who tried to cover up this matter will not stay in Nanyuki station and also this drunkard who killed our brother will be charged in court.” Deddy told the protestors and convinced that action will be taken; they stopped the demonstrations and opened up the road.