Section of Thika Road Closed as Protest Erupts

Normal operations along the busy Thika Super Highway were thrown into disarray on Wednesday afternoon, January 14, after residents of Witeithie area in Kiambu County staged demonstrations over rising insecurity.

The protest saw a partial shutdown of the highway-one of the country’s most important transport corridors linking Nairobi to several central and eastern regions.

The protesting residents accused authorities of inaction as what they termed an alarming increase in kidnappings was sweeping their neighborhood.

Residents said that over the past few weeks, there had been multiple reports of alleged abductions in the area, leaving the people with growing fear and frustration, hence hitting the streets in protest.

According to eye-witnesses on the ground, the incident took a short while to escalate as the community flooded the highway.

This resulted in a traffic jam with vehicles lining the highway as the police failed to intervene at the time of publication.

Residents Report Rise in Kidnappings

The residents alleged that at least three children have gone missing in Witeithie within the last month.

They said that the lack of clear efforts by the security forces had caused panic among the residents, especially parents of children in schools.

Tension is said to have heightened especially after the alleged abduction of a grade 8 girl on Tuesday, January 13th.

According to the villagers, the girl was abducted by some unidentified individuals who were driving a black car.

This incident, although it cannot be confirmed, contributed largely towards the demonstrations that occurred on Wednesday.

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Road Blocked With Stones and Burning Tyres

Images and videos that have been circulating on social media platforms have shown that some citizens barricaded parts of the Thika Super Highway using stones and burning tires, with smoke rising into the air.

Insecurity was at the heart of their demands for government intervention.

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No Official Statement from the Security Agencies

At the time this article was published, no law enforcement officers had been dispatched to the scene to disperse the crowd or restore normal traffic flow.

Furthermore, no official statement from the security organizations, such as the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), had been made regarding the kidnappings.

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Police vehicle at crime scene. PHOTO/File