Police in Elburgon are holding more than 100 youths who were engaging in a protest against the disappearance of a bodaboda operator for the past three days.
It is alleged that the peaceful demonstration turned sour after they started harrasing and robbing motorists along the Elburgon-Molo road, which had been barricaded.
Eye witness accounts note that police were called to intervene on the mid morning procession that had caused a huge snarl up along the ever busy road, but instead of talking to the police well, the youths started engaging the officers in running battles.
"The officers tried to calm down the demonstrators in vain, which forced them to use teargas canisters at some point so as to manage the charged crowd," noted Morris Mbugua, a witness.
Meshak Ouma, a deputy OCS at the Elburgon police post confirmed the incident and called on the residents to always follow the right protocol during demonstrations to avoid such inconveniences.
"It is good to get a permit and ensure that the peaceful demonstration is done in organised manner, robbing and harassing passers by is punishable by law and will not be tolerated," he said.
Maina Githinji, a renowned bodaboda operator has been missing since Saturday and attempts to have police launch investigations had proven futile sparking the demonstration.
It took the intervention of area MP Jacob Macharia to have the youths released without being charged, further calling for patience as police had promised to investigate the disappearance.
Demonstrating youths being bundled into on waiting police vehicles after a peaceful demonstration turned sour along the Elburgon-Molo road on Wednesday.