Normalcy yet to return in Naivasha town

NAIVASHA, KENYA: Residents of Naivasha were still feeling the effects of the sabasaba rally a day after, even though the event passed passed without ugly incidents in the town.

On Tuesday, business was yet to return to normal, as armed officers continued to patrol the town.The most affected were garages where some customers seeking services were turned away as some workers involved in the business had fled the town for fear of skirmishes.

According to one of the local leaders and businessman Karimi Waiganjo, 12 of his workers involved in panel beating and car painting had fled the town despite being urged to remain.

He said that he had been forced to close down the garage waiting for his workers to return to the town which according to him was very secure.

"Our brothers who fled the town are very good in panel beating and spraying of vehicles and we appeal to them to rethink their decision and return," he said.

Karimi admitted that the mass exodus in the town had adversely affected business adding that area residents had learnt from the 2007 post-election violence.

"We learnt from the 2007 post-election violence and we were not ready to go the same way again, Naivasha is very peaceful," he said.

A real estate agent Peter Mwaura noted that many landlords had been affected by the fleeing families as houses were empty.
He gave an example of Karagita estate as the most affected as over 200 families had fled from the area that houses hundreds of flower workers.

Other estates that had been affected by the fleeing families according to Mwaura were Kihoto and Kabati.

"Many of the landlords will be counting huge losses come the end of this month as many families fled ahead of the sabasaba rally," he said.

Naivasha sub-county commissioner Abraham Kemboi moved in to reassure those who had fled the town that the area was very safe.

Kemboi blamed the impasse and fear in the town to unfounded rumours adding that the town was safe and security had been beefed up.
 


 

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sabasaba Naivasha