• Police IG urged to intervene
• Residents claim they have not been boarding any public service vehicle at stages since Wednesday last week
Cases of carjacking and highway robbery could rise if Traffic police on the Nairobi-Nakuru highway are not allowed to inspect vehicles, especially on the Kiambu county section.
Residents claim they have not been boarding any public service vehicle at stages since Wednesday last week. They said that on Wednesday and Thursday, thugs used a Toyota Hiace car to rob them of their money and valuables.
Victim Mary Njeri yesterday said she was travelling to Kimende town and boarded a matatu at Nyambare stage after the crew agreed to charge her Sh20.
However, after moving less than a kilometre, she was asked to lock the door. She was seated at the front seat. She said the crew robbed her of two mobile phones and cash before slowing down the vehicle and asking her to collect her phone on the road.
“I was so shocked. By the time I stepped out, the vehicle had sped off and I only read its plate number as KAM. I cannot recall the rest,” she said.
Njeri works with Kiambu Water Company. She walked to Lari police station and reported the incident.
On Saturday, a Mitsubishi FH was stolen from Naivasha and driven to Limuru where the thieves stopped on the road and fled into a tea plantation in Tigoni after noticing DCI officers from Tigoni police station were in pursuit.
Lari subcounty police commander Ellen Wanjiku said they are investigating those incidents. She said they had arrested a driver of a matatu, which had been carjacked on Wednesday last week.
“We have handed the driver to the DCI to investigate the incident,” she said.
Resident George Mwaniki said the thugs have been terrorising travellers because no police officers man the highway. He urged Inspector General of Police Hillary Mutyambai to return officers on the highway. He said the Soko Mjinga-Kabete Polytechnic part in Kiambu is the worst-hit section.
“If Mutyambai will not hear our prayers, we shall write a letter to President Uhuru Kenyatta,” Mwaniki said.
Police roadblocks were banned and Traffic officers were directed to be on standby at their stations for assignments such as responding to accidents and investigating accident-related cases.
(Edited by F'Orieny)