Residents chase away traffic policeman, cause massive jam

A police officer had to scamper to safety after the residents of Chaka Town threw stones at him in protest against frequent traffic crackdowns.

The Tuesday evening demonstration, which was organised by some members of the county assembly, caused a massive traffic jam on the Nyeri-Nanyuki highway, resulting in motorists changing their routes to escape the mob.

Armed with stones and placards, the residents forced the policeman, National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) officers and mobile court personnel to beat a hasty retreat.

The residents said the inspections on the highway had become a daily routine for the NTSA officers, traffic police and mobile court magistrates, to collect hefty fines from motorists.

MCA Marete Ring’iru said such an operation should not be mounted on the same highway almost daily for more than two months.

He said the NTSA officers were harassing matatu operators and even private motorists.

“These officers have been operating along this highway for than two months and we will not accept this. They are not only harassing motorists, but the fines the mobile court magistrates are imposing on the offenders are exorbitant,” said Mr Ring’iru.

“It seems the NTSA officers are on a mission to punish both the matatu operators and passengers,” he said.

Another MCA, Mr Stephen Munuhe, accused the NTSA and traffic police of conducting the inspections unprofessionally.

“The officers are taking advantage of these crackdowns to impose heavy fines on drivers and if they don’t comply they are harassed,” he said.

The residents and MCAs left the scene after barricading the road for an hour, but vowed that they would not allow the officers to operate on the highway again.