Police in Limuru on Wednesday used tear gas to disperse protesting boda boda operators who had blocked Nairobi Nakuru highway at Kamandura area.
The riders lit fires using old tires, woods and logs protesting that motorcycle theft was slowly coming back to the area.
They said they have lost two riders in a month, with one being found dead and the other one is still missing.
A rider Jesse Mwaniki said their colleague Wilson Kiburio was found dead on May 10 at Cheshire area in Tigoni and his motorcycle is still missing, while Albert Njenga went missing together with his motorcycle last Saturday.
They held the protest as two suspects alleged to have stolen a motorcycle were arraigned.
The suspects—Toni Saitoti and John Laisa— however did not take plea as the police said they had not finished their investigations.
Their case investigating officer Rose Lwambi told Limuru resident magistrate Fred Koome that Albert Njenga went missing together with his motorcycle on May 22, 2021.
She said the police started investigations and on May 24 and this is when two men were stopped by police in Namanga near Kenya and Tanzania boarder, and were questioned.
Lwambi told court that since the two could not tell them the owner of the motorcycle but were mentioning that they had come from Limuru, detectives called OCS Tigoni John Misoi who arrested them and impounded the motorcycle.
Lwambi asked court to detain the suspects for 14 days because Njenga who operates from Ndeiya, has not been found and also to give them time to finalise their investigations.
The magistrate denied the suspects bond, saying they might run away and ordered the case mentioned on June 10 when police will report their findings.
Area deputy county commissioner Charles Mukele urged the riders to help the police with details that will led to the arrest of criminals behind motorcycle theft.
Mukele asked the groups to start registering customers being ferried at the stage whether known or not, so that whenever something happens, a follow up can be easy.
“We are sorry for what has happened, but riders must help with details and strategies such as writing down all customers and whoever does not want to be listed should look for other means of transport,” Mukele advised.
-Edited by SKanyara
