Chaos rocked Nairobi’s Kawangware estate for the better part of Monday following the death of a passenger thrown off a moving matatu over a Sh10 fare dispute.
The woman was killed by a speeding bus.
She had boarded the city-centre bound matatu in the estate but disagreed with the tout over fare.
An argument over the Sh10 deficit ended in the tout pushing her out of the moving vehicle. She was then run over by the bus. The matatu sped away after the incident leaving the driver of the bus and his conductor to face the wrath of rioters.
Police clashed with the rioters who torched the bus.
Business was paralysed for hours before area DC Cornelius Wamalwa appealed for calm.
The body of the unidentified woman was taken to the City Mortuary shortly after the 8.30am incident.
“We are angered by the act of the makanga (tout) who physically threw out this lady from the matatu and we want this to be a lesson to the rest of the operators along this route,” said Ms Lilian Anyango who had joined the protesters in running battles around the estate.
Police on Monday said they were holding the bus driver and conductor but the matatu crew were still at large.
Dagoretti police boss Mathews Gwiyo said the body of the woman was taken to the city mortuary.
Police had a difficult time calming the rowdy youths who barricaded the road and at one time had to lob tear gas canisters to disperse them.
Police looked on as the youths set the bus ablaze and later carted away its parts.
Other motorists were not spared as their vehicles were pelted with stones. Police diverted motorists to other roads.
Mr Wamalwa appealed for calm and promised to trace the matatu crew.
“We are going to hunt them down and I can assure you we will bring them to book,” he said.
Residents claimed the touts have a tendency of announcing cheaper fare at the termini before retracting to overcharge passengers once on board.
“I hope the others will learn from this tragedy and desist from hiking fares once passengers have boarded,” said Mr Joseph Kikechi, a resident.
