Nakuru Transport, Businesses Paralysed as Street Children Clash with Police Officers
- Operations at the Railways stage in Nakuru were paralysed on Wednesday, June 4, after street children attacked traders
- The group of street children stormed the stage and started throwing stones at the operators, most of whom were forced to close their shops
- Police officers deployed to restore order engaged the street children in running battles for the better part of the day
Operations within the Nakuru central business district (CBD) were paralysed for the better part of Wednesday, June 4, after police officers engaged street children in running battles.
Source: Original
Why Nakuru police clashed with street children
Police officers had to be deployed after a group of street children armed with crude weapons started pelting stones at traders at the Railways stage, popularly known as the Mashambani stage.
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The clash forced most traders to close their businesses in fear of looting. Transport in and out of the stage was also temporarily disrupted.
According to Nakuru Town East sub-county police commander, Samson Andanje, the street kids, armed with stones, had threatened to harm the operators at the stage.
Andanje said police officers intervened to stop them from causing a disturbance to traders and commuters who use the stage that hosts matatus plying to several parts of the country.
He also accused the street children of attempting to disrupt normal operations in the area.
Following the running battles which lasted for several hours, some street children were arrested and detained at the Nakuru central police station as normalcy returned to the busy terminus.
"The street children attacked the matatu operators and customers, allegedly angered by actions taken against them. We restored normalcy, but we will investigate the real cause of the clash,” the police boss said.
The latest incident comes barely a week after unknown individuals were spotted armed with batons around the Nakuru CBD as they allegedly flushed the street boys from their hideouts.
Some traders have accused the street children of creating a bad environment for their businesses.
However, the move seems to have sparked tension between the street children and the group that beat some of them when they were cornered.
Street children menace in Nakuru
Joshua Anjala, a member of the Nakuru business community, told TUKO.co.ke that they chose to conduct the operation themselves due to the rising cases of mugging and theft of phones at the terminus. The incidents have been linked to the street children.
“The young boys have been terrorising travellers here for a long time, and we thought we couldn’t let it continue as our customers are affected,” Anjala said.
He further claimed the young boys have been harassing food vendors who operate around the stage and market. They allegedly grab food when they are denied it.
On his part, Railways stage matatu operators chairman Wycliff Andika said their operations have been heavily affected by the presence of the street children.
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Source: Original
Andika challenged the county government of Nakuru to take action and address the issue.
Street families have been a thorn in the flesh of every administration in Nakuru, with the famous incident in 2019 where the Nakuru county government officials were accused of rounding up 41 boys and dumping them in Chemususu forest in Baringo county.
Despite every successive administration pledging to address the issue, no tangible steps have been taken to ensure that they are removed from the Nakuru CBD to regain a peaceful business environment.
Rider celebrates birthday with Nairobi street children
Previously, TUKO.co.ke reported that a boda boda rider in Nairobi opted to celebrate his birthday with street children.
The rider, John Wambui, alias Ga Cucu, gave the street kids food and shared a cake-cutting moment with them.
He shared challenges he has faced in the past in his initiative to feed the needy in society.
Proofreading by Mercy Nyambura, copy editor at TUKO.co.ke.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
Joshua Cheloti (Editorial assistant) Joshua Cheloti is a multi-skilled journalist with over 5 years of experience in the media industry. He holds a Diploma in Journalism and Mass Communication and is pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Mass Media and Communication at Mount Kenya University. At TUKO, he's an editorial assistant. Before TUKO, he worked at Nairobi Review as an editorial writer, at Hope Media (Hope TV and Hope FM) as a correspondent in Eldoret, Hivisasa.com digital content editor and online writer, at Biblia Husema Broadcasting (BHB), Eldoret as Radio Presenter. Email: Joshua.cheloti@tuko.co.ke
Elijah Cherutich A trained Kenyan journalist with over 10 years of experience in radio and digital media. I am currently based in Nakuru city in the Rift Valley region working as a TUKO.co.ke correspondent.
