Riots erupted in Matunda in Likuyani Sub-county yesterday as angry residents barricaded a section of the Kitale-Eldoret road to protest the death of a 17-year-old boy who was knocked down by a speeding matatu.
The Form Two student at Matunda Secondary was cycling to school when he was run over and killed at Furfurral trading centre around 6.30am. The vehicle, a Toyota Hiace registration number KCL 563A, belongs to Mwakamo Sacco. Uasin Gishu County police Commander Ayub Ali said the matatu was trying to overtake another when it knocked the boy down.
“The vehicle then veered off the road and overturned, landing on its side. The victim died on the spot,” Mr Ali said.
Lit fires on the road
In the ensuing protest, rioters vandalised the vehicle and lit fires on the road as they called for action against the matatu sacco. It took riot police hours to calm down the situation.
Some of the residents, who spoke to the Nation, said they had suffered too many casualties on the road.
Mr Geoffrey Simiyu, a boda boda operator at the trading centre, said: “This is not the first incident. Many people have been knocked down by vehicles. At least two people are run over every month.
“There should be speed bumps erected to curb these accidents otherwise we will take matters in our own hands.
A resident Rajab Shaban said: “We’ve complained to our leaders but nothing has been done. People who have been killed on this road are uncountable.”
Police moved the body to Kitale County Referral Hospital mortuary. The vehicle and victim’s bicycle were towed to Matunda Police Station. BY DAILY NATION
