One person was killed and two others injured during demonstrations to protest the poor state of the Kasarani-Mwiki road in Nairobi on Thursday.
Transport was disrupted for the third day running even as the government released Sh300 million for the reconstruction of the road.
The move followed a meeting between Nairobi Senator Johnson Sakaja, the Kenya Urban Roads Authority acting MD Silas Kinoti, representatives of matatu saccos and security officers from Kasarani on Thursday.
The money released is part of Sh1.7 billion that the government has set aside to repair 13 kilometers of roads in the capital.
"We knew that after the rains, roads would be damaged and for Nairobi alone, we have committed Sh1.7 billion and contractors are already on sight," Kinoti said.
He added, "For Kasarani, we budgeted for it separately because it required more resources. We have set aside Sh300 million, but we are going to do small maintenance works to ensure it is sustainable. We have plans to ensure that after the rains, the roads are repaired."
Sakaja said they struck a deal with matatu operators to resume operations as the authority moves to fix the two-kilometer stretch that is dilapidated.
Many commuters have been forced to walk for long distances to board matatus to work after those plying the Mwiki route boycotted in protest.
"The events of the past few days have been so unfortunate. We have a report of two people being killed but reports from the police are different. Five officers were seriously injured. Two have been discharged," Sakaja said.
In Mwiki, demonstrations persisted with public transport halted. The clash with the police left a man identified as Stephen Machirusi dead. He died after he was shot on the chest.
His sister said Mwachirusi, who sat for KCSE last year, was his way to work but opted to return to the house after he found the road blocked.
He was shot on his way back, the sister said.
he 17-year old was in the company of two other boys when a confrontation arose between the police and the demonstrators at around 11 am on Wednesday.
One of the boys said a stone was thrown past them at the officers who were walking ahead of them when one of the cops turned and shot Mwachirusi.
"I know that officer very well. When the stone was thrown, he turned around. In fear, he knelt and lifted his hands up but he was shot on the chest," the boy said.
Mwachirusi was rushed to Nimoli Health Centre in Sunton but doctors said they were unable to handle the condition. The boy died a few minutes later.
"When he died, we took him back to the police who had shot him but they ignored him. So we dropped his body on the road," witness Julia Chepkemoi said.
It wasn't until almost 8.30pm when Machirusi's body was taken to Sunton police station and later to Kasarani police station. The body was later taken to City Mortuary.
Lilian Waringa, Machirusi sister said his mother was in Hunters area when she heard that about the tragedy.
"She went to see only to realise that it was Machirusi," she said. Machirusi scored a C+ in last year's KCSE exam.
Waringa said her brother was meant to go back to the village this month to plan on joining the university.
"He was a village boy and only came to Nairobi in December. Also, he was very quiet and reserved and could not have joined in demos," she said.
Machirusi's family is now seeking justice for what they say robbed the only hope they had for the family.
"He was the only son and a last born in a family of three children. He was the most dependable and we did everything to ensure he finished school as he worked to realise his dream to become an electrical engineer," Waringa said.
Another man was shot on the leg and has been undergoing treatment while a primary school pupil who developed breathing difficulties after inhaling teargas is currently admitted at a hospital in the area.
Police used teargas to disperse the protesters and students at the nearby Mirema Primary School were greatly affected by the fumes.
Priscilla Kinyoro said all her children had not gone to school as they have been unwell after inhaling teargas.
"Learning has totally been disrupted. Do you think a parent would allow their children to go to school with all that teargas? This is very wrong," Kinyoro said.
On Monday, tired of regular breakdowns from the pathetic road, matatu operators blocked all the routes from Mwiki to the Thika Superhighway.
The drivers said they were willing to lose their daily income during the strike rather than keep on spending thousands of shillings in repairing their vehicles.
"The worst part of this stretch is less than a kilometer yet we spend at least two hours there or the entire night when there is a traffic gridlock," driver Paul Muigai said.
"We shall only resume operations when we construction going on."
edited by p. obuya
