Drama was witnessed yesterday at Lwandeti town after two groups of riders from Lwandeti and Lugari wards clashed over who deserved to pick up and drop off customers at the market center.
The chaos nearly culminated into clashes as riders from the Lugari side lamented harassment from their Lwandeti counterparts, including impounding their motorbikes and locking them up in police stations around.
According to Noxii, a rider from Lugari, Lwandeti riders have always claimed entitlement to the stage lying at the town along the Eldoret-Webuye highway.
He said it has been hard for them to do business together since their Lwandeti counterparts have been pushing them out of the town for fear of competition.
“Sometimes a customer may call me to go and pick them up in Lwandeti but you find that it doesn’t please the riders there. They want to own the place and want us to keep off,” he said.
He said their counterparts started issuing demands that they pay for a KSh3,000 ‘business permit’ to allow them to operate at the stage, something to which we objected.
“As a result, any rider from Lugari who was found in Lwandeti had his bike seized and locked inside the police station,” he said, adding that this is not the first time it is happening.
Meeting to find a solution
Lugari Ward bodaboda chairman Peter Mutai said yesterday’s drama forced a meeting between the clashing groups at the Franks Police Station.
He said, in the meeting in Lugari Ward conducted by Inspector Rono and attended by Members of the County Assembly (MCAs) from both wards today, some resolutions were arrived at, including:
- All motorbike riders from each side be identified and their motorbikes marked
- All riders to showcase a high level of respect for others
- The stage at Lwandeti be used for the benefit of all
- Chairpersons from both sides be in touch to solve any problems that arise
Lugari Sub-county OCPD Bernard Ngungu said he held separate talks with the riders from Lwandeti and sensitized them on the need to do business with their brothers from Lugari Ward.
Sam Oduor is the founder and one of the editors at WKT. With a strong background in Communication and Journalism, Sam is an experienced digital media expert currently building a team of young professionals dedicated to telling the story of our community in a unique, authentic way.
