Scores injured as rivals groups clash over quarry business

Quarry in Ngelani, Athi River sub-county, Machakos county, where scores were injured after two groups clashed over at the weekend. [Peterson Githaiga, Standard]

Several people were injured after two groups clashed over a multi-million quarry business in Ngelani, Athi River Sub-county, Machakos county.

Chaos erupted over the weekend after locals clashed with strangers who were reportedly out to take over their quarries.

The clashes said to have lasted for more than an hour in the Ngelani-Phase Five quarries left several people injured after they were shot with arrows and slashed with machetes.

Some victims were treated in local health facilities and discharged while two people who were in critical condition are admitted to Kenyatta National Hospital.

Witnesses and residents claimed that the strangers believed to be hired goons have been ganging up with some officers from Mlolongo Police Station in an attempt to evict them from the ancestral land to continue minting millions from the quarries.

"The goons with the help of rogue police officers have been unleashing terror on us, How can senior police officers accept to be receiving weekly bribes from the goons at our expense," a resident claimed.

Mlolongo East Sub County Police Commander Anderson Mbai said that he was away when the clashes erupted.

"I'm aware of this incident however, I'm currently attending training away from my workstation," said Mr Mbai.

A rogue police officer who was dismissed from the service for deserting duty has been adversely mentioned in the alleged quarry takeover.

An administrator in the area has also been accused of running the quarries in collaboration with the goons.

The community has petitioned the Inspector General to investigate police officers implicated in the scheme.

According to the DCI report in Athi River and Mlolongo police stations, some notorious goons have active court cases.