Police were forced to lob teargas canisters to disperse tuktuk and motorcycle bodaboda operators after they disagreed over parking space in the city centre on Wednesday.
Trouble started when motorcycle operators invaded a ground meant to be a dropping and picking zone on the outskirts of the Nacho square forcing their tuktuk counterparts to drop and pick passengers from the main highway causing obstruction.
“This is our space and they (bodaboda operators) know that, why are they using force to hinder our operations? posed Justus Karanja, chairman of the tuktuk operators within town.
He attributes the commotion to the swelling numbers of motorcycle riders who have ever since overstretched the available resources hindering normal operation.
“The problem with our counterparts is that their numbers is always increasing making it hard for us to freely operate together because of the turning, reversing and parking,” he explained.
On the other Hand, the motorbike owners decry harassment and lack of cooperation from their business rivals.
“We do almost the same work and in such a business, competition is rife, their problem is that they feel we are taking up their customers; space is a non-issue here,” offered Moses Kipruto who argues that he has operated within Nakuru town as a bodaboda both with a bicycle and now with a motorcycle and the space has been adequate for the two groups.
Central OCPD Benard Kioko attributed the commotion to business rivalry saying that the county government was in the constructing more parking lots to help contain the swelling numbers.
“It’s an issue we are working on but they don’t need to fight and inconvenience other people. Those arrested will be charged for causing disturbance,” he said.
Early July, Governor Kinuthia Mbugua noted that in the next financial year, a parking lot will be constructed to help keep both tuktuk and motorcycle operators out of the town centre.