Police fired tear gas on Tuesday to disperse protesting truck drivers in Mlolongo, Machakos County.
They intervened after the drivers, who operate in Mavoko quarries,
used their trucks to barricade the busy Nairobi-Mombasa Highway at kapa and All Park areas.
The truck drivers demonstrated
as they were denied access to the quarries.
Their action led to a
heavy traffic snarl up that lasted close to two hours.
Some of the drivers who spoke on condition of anonymity said there are no roads leading to the quarries,
most of which are located in Mlolongo, Muthwani and Kinanie wards of Mavoko sub-county.
They said the owners of the property they passed through on the way to the quarries had
closed them.
"We need roads since we have no access to the quarries. Those whose land we passed through [are also] charging lots of money to allow the trucks
access."
Mlolongo Assistant County Commissioner David Mukung asked the drivers to use different approaches to solve their problems.
"Their complaints are genuine but they should seek redress from concerned authorities. We shall not condone the barricading of Mombasa Road."
