Transport Cabinet Secretary Michael Kamau visited Mlolongo's weighbridge to inspect and assess damages caused by rioting hooligans.
Addressing journalists shortly after meeting security officers from Machakos County and the bridge’s officials, Kamau said the operations at the bridge had stopped Monday morning, following the incident.
Kamau said the rioters who attacked weighbridge police officers among other staff who were at work during the skirmishes, destroyed government property including equipment and machines used for weighing vehicles at their site, located along Nairobi Mombasa Road in Mlolongo town.
He said the officers ran for their lives during the incident after the attackers invaded their site throwing stones at them.
The CS, who alleged that the hooligans suspected to be sand harvesters and transporters had been incited, said the attack was because the culprits never wanted to pay taxes to the weighbridge, hence followed alternative service roads to escape from the officers and evade taxation.
“The hooligans attacked the staff at the bridge who ran for their lives as they destroyed public property such as weighbridge itself, camera and part of the fence, someone has to be held responsible and pay for them," said Kamau.
He called on those who accused weighbridge officers of corruption to come up, identify the individuals and take the matter with the Anti-Corruption Commission for investigations and action.
“Why are all these things happening now only after blocking the service roads which the sand tracks used to escape thereby evading paying taxes," questioned Kamau.
Mavoko MP, Patrick Makau, who joined the CS at the bridge said the rioters were not sand traders but the area residents.
Makau requested that the blocked service roads be opened up to end the stalemate, and allow access by all motorists, residents arguing that those with big cars among other vehicles were inconvenienced by the blockage.