The IDPs in the area carted away the maize before police intervened by shooting in the air. [Photo: Antony Gitonga/ Standard]

By Antony Gitonga 

NAIVASHA; KENYA: Starving Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Mai Mahiu had a reason to smile after a lorry carrying maize was involved in an accident spilling its cargo just a few meters from their camps.

Armed with all manner of containers, the victims of the post-election violence scrambled for the free goodies which they termed as ‘God sent’.

For over 30 minutes, the IDPs, residents of Mai Mahiu and even motorists looted from the lorry that had been involved in the accident.

Their party was however cut short by police from the nearby Mai Mahiu police station who moved in and thwarted the looting.

The officers had to fire in the air to disperse the unruly and ‘hungry’ crowd leading to a stampede before sanity was restored.

The accident involved two lorries heading towards Mai Mahiu from Nakuru and left one of the driver nursing serious injuries.

According to an IDP Amos Kimani, the lorry carrying the maize rammed into the rear of the other truck before losing control and rolling.

Kimani told of their joy adding that they had gone for over two months without getting the monthly food ration from the State.

“The lorry spilled maize and we had no otherwise but to collect it and our hunger for the time being has been dealt with,” he said.

The incident came barely a week after a tanker carrying crude cooking oil was involved in an accident in Mai Mahiu town.

The residents scrambled for the free-flowing oil before police intervened and warned that the product was not fit for human consumption.

Elsewhere 10 people were seriously injured in Naivasha town after their matatu was hit by a lorry along Kenyatta Avenue.

The lorry which was going downhill developed mechanical problem before ramming into the Nissan matatu near Karagita matatu terminus.

According to a witness Minnieh Kamau, the driver of the matatu was seriously injured during the early morning incident.

“The lorry was in high speed and hit the matatu dragging it for over 20m and the injured were rushed to Naivasha District Hospital,” she said.