16 injured in Kwale market chaos over payments

Sixteen people were injured when chaos erupted at Kombani market in Kwale on Monday.

The chaos broke out during the reopening of the Sh120 million market.

Private security guards, who had been hired by a contractor to stop county officials from accessing the market, were attacked.

They said hired goons descended on them with crude weapons.

The guards had blocked the premises due to pending payments. 

However, residents said the traders had clashed with the security guards who were manning the market, leading to the commotion.

Some of the victims had to be rushed to Mombasa for medical attention.

End to End, the company that was contracted to construct the Sh120 million market, accused the Kwale government of being behind the attack of its employees.

At the time of the attack, there were about 22 private guards at the market.

Kwale police commander Josephat Kinyua said one person has since been arrested in connection with the attack.

“One person is being held at Kwale police station. We are calling upon victims of the attack to come out and write statements with the police,” he said.

Kinyua said from the initial reports, traders and the private guards hired by the contractor clashed.

He however said they have launched investigations into the matter.

Speaking in Mombasa, Abdulrahman Mahmoud, a director at End to End accused the county for disobeying court orders.

Mahmoud said they obtained a court order from the Mombasa High Court dated December 18, 2021 restraining any activities at the market before the matter is heard and determined.

The contractor had moved to court to stop the county from subcontracting the work after the contract was terminated.

According to the contractor, the Kwale government is yet to pay a balance of Sh44 million out of the agreed amount of Sh106 million for the project.

“The total amount of money we have received is Sh62 million. Towards the end of the project, the county illegally terminated our contract and refused to pay the balance,” Mahmoud said.

However, Governor Fatuma Achani has since condemned the chaotic incident and said the contractor had already been paid all his dues.

“The court order obtained by the contractor does not stop the traders from accessing the facility. It only restricts the county from subcontracting the work," she said.

Achani says the order was very clear that the county cannot issue another tender for the project.

Some of the victims interviewed by journalists in Mombasa said they were attacked at around 9am while they were manning the market.

Three of them managed to be treated at a private hospital in Likoni in Mombasa, whereas, one had to be rushed to Coast General Teaching and Referral Hospital for specialised treatment.

"We were just doing our work. We stole from no one. Why would someone want to end our lives," Dickson Kioko said.

Kioko sustained a deep cut at the back of his head and was treated in Kwale before being referred to the Coast General Teaching and Referral Hospital.

He said prior to the attack, they had received threats from a county official to leave the premises.

"We know the person behind this and had even reported the matter to Kombani police station when he came to threaten us on Saturday. We want action to be taken so that we get justice," Kioko said.

Another victim, Elias Choyo sustained injuries on his back after he was clobbered with a rungu (stick).

He said the official in question came at around 3am, asking them to vacate the market.

Choyo said afterwards, two more cars, one bearing a county plate number, patrolled the market around 6am before the alleged county official returned again.

"I am lucky to be alive after area villagers rescued and hid me before I fled on a bodaboda back to Likoni,” he said.

"Whatever has happened is inhuman and a complete violation of human rights. We were not there for war, we were just fending for our families. If the county and the contractor had issues, they should solve them amicably.”

(Edited by Bilha Makokha)