More than 25 people have been seriously injured during confrontations between police and hawkers in Eldoret, Uasin Gishu.
A K24 journalist Dan Wanga is among those injured.
His two cameras were also destroyed by county askaris.
Human rights activist Peter Njenga said the clashes started after county enforcement officers raided areas near the main market to evict hawkers operating in undesignated areas.
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"The county askaris who were putting on helmets beat up everyone including women and children causing the ugly confrontations,"Njenga said.
The hawkers and street families responded by attacking the officers with
stones and other crude weapons.
Red Cross officers were deployed to evacuate the injured to Moi referral
hospital.
As the running battles intensified, traders shut down shops along all streets.
Uasin Gishu County Commissioner Abdi Hassan ordered police to calm the situation but the riots got worse and almost degenerated into a full-blown war.
"The situation is not good but we have deployed police to deal with the matter as we investigate the cause," Hassan said.
Several vehicles belonging to the county government were damaged.
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