Boda boda operators hold demonstrations in Kericho

Kericho, Kenya: Hundreds of Boda Boda operators operating within Kericho town staged demonstrations within the town to protest against insecurity, after a boda boda operator was murdered Monday night by suspected thieves.

The demonstrators stormed County Commissioner's offices demanding to be addressed by the county commissioner Lucy Mulili, who was however said to be out of office on official duties.

Kericho Deputy Officer Commanding Station Mohammed Abdullahi had a difficult time trying to control the emotional youths, who had caused a huge traffic snarl up near Kericho district hospital mortuary where the body of the deceased Boda boda operator had been take for preservation.

Sammy Kimani claimed the deceased popularly known as Goromu had been brutally hit by a blunt object behind his head and robbed of his motorcycle.

The youths also rode to Nyagacho Police station where they demanded an immediate transfer of one of the senior police officers at the station whom they accused of needlessly harassing them.

"We are tired of being robbed off our sweat by a police officer who arrests us on flimsy grounds and demands for very high fines before he can release our motorcycles," said Davies Ngetich.

Daniel Kibet claimed that the state of insecurity in the county had deteriorated to a point they were losing at least five motorcycles a month to vicious suspected motorcycle thieves.