Transport paralysed in Kirinyaga as protests intensify on Mwea–Embu Highway

In Ngurubani, police briefly cleared the busy highway as residents watched from a distance. The area remains calm but largely deserted, with no vehicles in sight.

Motorists entering Kirinyaga from Embu County report that operators of smaller vehicles are being forced to pay at least Ksh 100 to pass through certain points. Fires have also been lit along sections of the busy Mwea–Embu highway, particularly in the Piai and Gathoge areas.

Tensions remain high in Kagio, Kutus, Ngurubani, and Piai along the Mwea–Embu highway, where tyres have been set ablaze as part of the protests. Even motorists with private vehicles have been forced to withdraw from the roads.

Witnesses further report that suspected goons are preventing people from taking photos at the protest sites.