Naivasha water vendors raid, burn houses belonging to suspected donkey thieves

NAIVASHA, KENYA: There was drama in Naivasha after irate water vendors raided several houses belonging to suspected donkey thieves and torched their houses.

During the incident, police had to move in fast and stop the vendors from torching a residential house belonging to one of the suspects.

Trouble started after unknown people stole and slaughtered five donkeys along the Nairobi-Nakuru highway.

Incidentally, three suspects arrested a fortnight ago by police after they were found slaughtering three donkeys had two days earlier been released on bond by a Naivasha court.

The vendors turned their fury on the suspects' belongings in Kabati estate after holding a demonstration along the streets of the lakeside town carrying carcasses of the donkeys.

And in a twist of events, police moved in and arrested five of the water vendors after the raid as their colleagues went into hiding.

One of the vendors identified only as Kim said that they were losing at least three donkeys every week and questioned the move to release the suspects on bond.

Kim said that the five donkeys were stolen in Kabati estate and had been missing for the last two days before their carcasses were found along the highway.

"The three suspects were released from custody two days ago and the donkeys went missing the same day they were released," he said.

The sentiments were echoed by another vendor Joel Mwaura who noted that the illegal vice was on the rise.

He said that tens of water vendors had been left jobless after their donkeys were stolen and later found slaughtered.