Transport paralysed on Mwingi–Garissa Road as residents protest killings

The attacks have been linked to suspected camel herders. The disruption has heightened tensions between two communities amid reports of retaliatory violence, raising fears of further escalation in the region.

Efforts by police to re-open the road triggered running battles with protesters, with chaos engulfing Mwingi Town for the better part of the afternoon.

The demonstrations paralysed transport along the busy route, with police experiencing a hard time dispersing the agitated crowd. The unrest escalated into looting, with several shops in Mwingi Town broken into as tensions flared.

Kitui Central Member of Parliament Gideon Mulyungi, who had joined residents during the protests, was caught up in the melee and forced to flee as police lobbed teargas canisters to disperse the protesters.

For the better part of Wednesday, a market day in Mwingi, tension remained high, with business activities severely disrupted and most shops closed.

“Serikali iingile kati tukae hapa kwa amani biashara tumefunga iko shida na matatizo mingi huku,” Mohammed Abdullahi, a business operator in Mwingi, urged.

The situation began to deteriorate on Tuesday evening when buses operating along the route were forced to turn back towards Garissa and Nairobi after locals blocked the highway following the killing of a 14-year-old boy, allegedly by members of a pastoralist community. Some passengers were escorted to safety by security personnel as the situation escalated.

“Sisi kama wamama tuna uchungu sana tunataka serikali iingilie kati na wale wafugaji wa ngamia wafukuzwe,” Mohammed Abdullahi, a business operator, said.

In Nairobi, buses that typically ply the Mwingi–Garissa route remained parked at their terminals, leaving passengers stranded and uncertain as travel plans were thrown into disarray.