Kitui traders demand scrap metal dealers vacate market as cases of theft rise

The traders brought traffic on the busy Kitui-Machakos road to a standstill on Thursday as they blocked the road for hours.

This comes as a group of scrap metal dealers was arrested last week and a lorry ferrying scrap metal impounded.

However,  a court ordered the vehicle be released.

“We are tired of being robbed, only to find scrap metal dealers selling our items. We are holding protests to ensure these rogue dealers leave the town and stop abetting crime,” one trader said.

Matuu OCS Peter Mugambi and Katangi OCS Charles Itharii sought to calm traders at Kyua market, saying action will be taken against perpetrators of the scrap metal trade.