A vendor sells papayas in a market. [Photo/ nation.co.ke]
Operations at the Eldoret town main market were brought to a standstill on Thursday following a clash between fruit vendors and the Uasin Gishu county enforcement officers and the police.
The two groups engaged in running battles forcing the closure of some business premise near the market for at least an hour.
Trouble began when the county enforcement officers arrived at the market for a routine operation to flush out vendors operating from undesignated areas, most of whom were fruit vendors.
Some of the vendors however objected to the operations causing a clash between the two groups.
The police were at some point forces to lobe teargas canisters in a bid to disperse the angry vendors.The clash left vendors counting loses as their fruits were scattered all over the streets.
"We are being beaten like thieves for selling fruits this is unacceptable," lamented of the vendor.
"Someone has just lost a stock worth sh15,000 just because of some guys who don't care about other people's business. Why use teargas on innocent people going about with their normal day to day activities," added another vendor.
The vendors are now urging Uasin Gishu governor Jackson Mandago to come to their rescue and stop what they said was regular harassments from the county askaris.