Transport was paralysed for hours along the Thika-Garissa road on Monday as Mukunike village residents protested an alleged demolition of their houses by a local quarry operator.
The angry residents held peaceful demonstrations claiming that a private quarry operator demolished their houses without a notice. The residents used bulldozers to block the Thika-Garissa road for close to three hours bringing traffic at Kilimambogo trading centre to a standstill.
Moses Matuya, a resident said that they woke up on Monday morning to find that some of their houses had been demolished. He said that the operator did not serve them with an eviction or demolition notice, adding that they were caught by surprise.
The residents said they will not allow the developer to set up a quarry in the village saying it is a health hazard.
Area Member of County Assembly (MCA) Cecilia Wamaitha asked the National Environmental Management Authority (NEMA) to intervene and address the problem.
She said the proposed quarry will affect the health and activities of locals and that an alternative site should be sought. The MCA condemned the demolitions and asked the locals to remain calm as the problem was being handled.