Mayhem as touts attack TLB team

Two officials of the Transport Licensing Board were injured after rowdy touts attacked them during a crackdown on defective passenger service vehicles.

The touts in Kakamega descended on the officials and traffic police officers yesterday near the Somken petrol station on Sudi road, protesting at the impounding of the vehicles.

A commotion erupted after the touts pelted the officials with stones and roughed up a woman officer, snatching her cap.

The official in charge of the operation, Mr Geoffrey Bullo, was injured on the left knee when a protester hit him with a stone.

Driver Ben Mutungi was also injured on the shoulder when a stone missile smashed his vehicle’s windscreen.

A vehicle belonging to the Transport Licensing Board had its windscreen smashed.

Mr Bullo said he had arrived at the petrol station with his team to inspect the vehicles when they were attacked.

“Before we realised what was happening, the touts were pelting us with stones and baying for our blood, forcing us to flee,” he said.

The touts ripped off the side mirror of a Kenya Revenue Authority vehicle before anti-riot police were called in to restore calm.

The riot left hundreds of passengers stranded at the main bus park and other termini after matatu operators withdrew their vehicles from the road.

Thirty touts, including the leader of a cartel manning bus and matatu termini in Kakamega, were arrested after the riot.

Gone into hiding

A contingent of riot police combed Masingo slums and other estates and flushed out the touts, who had gone into hiding after the mayhem.

The team of officials from KRA and TLB has been in Western Province for the last three days, during which they impounded 60 vehicles operating without speed governors and seatbelts.

The team carried out the crackdown in Luanda, Busia, Mumias and Webuye, before proceeding to Kakamega.

The divisional police chief, Mr John Mwinzi, said the crackdown against the cartel manning the bus parks, which charges Sh100 for each trip a vehicle made, would continue until order was restored at the matatu and bus stages.