Ngong commuters stranded as matatu drivers protest extortion, harassment by council askaris

Ngong commuters were left stranded Wednesday afternoon after matatu operators downed their tools. FILE PHOTO | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • The afternoon demonstration paralyzed transport along the busy Moi Avenue for the better part of the day.

  • The matatu operators used their vehicles to barricade the road demanding for the release of one of their colleagues who had been taken to Central Police Station after he allegedly stood up against excessive brutality of the askaris.

Commuters plying the Ngong route were left stranded Wednesday after matatu operators downed their tools protesting harassment, brutality and extortion from county askaris.

The afternoon demonstration paralysed transport along the busy Moi Avenue for the better part of the day.

The matatu operators used their vehicles to barricade the road demanding the release of one of their colleagues who had been taken to the Central Police Station for allegedly standing up against excessive brutality of the officers.

They claim that their colleague, only referred to as ‘JM’ and who drives a matatu called Ice Breaker, was beaten by the askaris for protesting their brutality and later whisked away to the station to record a statement.

“We will not clear this road until JM is released from the Central Police Station. Why have they taken him to the station and refused to release him? We have continually been harassed by kanjos (city askaris). This practice has to stop,” chanted the operators.

A visibly shaken driver, who sought anonymity, narrated to the Nation how the officers used batons to smash their vehicles causing injuries to himself and a passenger who was sitting next to him. He said the passenger had to be rushed to hospital after pieces of glass fell on her when a window was smashed in the melee.

“Look at me, I have been beaten by the askaris for no reason. A passenger who was beside me has been rushed to hospital after pieces of glass fell on her after my vehicles window was smashed by the askaris,” said the driver as he showed the dents in his vehicle and injuries on his body.

The driver also said that three of their vehicles had been towed away by the askaris in a bid to intimidate them though he said they had paid the stipulated monthly parking fees and had been using the contested space for a very long time.

“Why are we being brutally beaten by these askaris and yet we pay parking fees as is required? Every month we pay Sh5,300 but despite our efforts we have not been given an official parking space,” said the driver.

They accused the police and the city askaris of turning them into their walking ATMs by constantly extorting money from them whenever they feel like it.

“These askaris have been taking money from us whenever they feel like it, threatening to lock us in if we do not give them the money they ask for,” they protested.

Efforts by traffic officers to pacify the irate operators failed as operators chanted and called for the release of their colleague, the return of their towed vehicles and demanded to be shown their parking spaces.