Thika traffic police have had a hard time this Friday morning trying to calm down matatu operators who had earlier announced that they would be holding demonstrations against the police harassment in the area.
The Thika police boss Mr. Erastus Muthamia however said that the police have been able to calm down the protests and now the traffic is flowing as usual and the matatu operators have gone back to their areas of work.
He however said that they have arrested 32 operators linked to the protest saying that they should have waited for the traffic department to act on the said corrupt officers instead of causing havoc on the busy road. He said that the arrested protestors will have to be charged with destruction of property which is against the law.
“We have managed to arrest 32 matatu operators and we are going to take them to court as they have destroyed some vehicles and also led an illegal protest. We had told them on Thursday that we would deal with their case but they still protested,” the officer said.
The Thika traffic base commander Mr. William Uhuru has also confirmed that the traffic is now flowing but that the anti-riot police have been stationed at the main stage to curb any chances of a retaliatory protest.