Six injured as rival Kisumu business gangs fight it out

Vincent Ochieng Odudo at Kisumu County Hospital. He is among those who were injured at Kisumu terminus on July 30 2015 after allegedly attacked by gangs in what police termed as rivalry between bus companies. PHOTO:COLLINS ODUOR

NAIROBI: Six people were injured after they were attacked by a machete-wielding gang in what police termed as business rivalry between two bus companies.

One victim, 27-year-old Vincent Odudo, was left fighting for his life at the Kisumu County Hospital after the fight, which started on Wednesday night and escalated to yesterday morning.

The two competing bus companies, according to Kisumu Town OCPD Christopher Mshimba, were fighting over parking lots.

Tension has been boiling in the town's main bus station following the entry of a new player in the business.

According to David Ochieng, the entry of the new operator seemed to have infuriated previous players, forcing the latter to employ measures to edge their competitors.

"They have been threatening us saying we are taking away their customers and on Wednesday, they made good their threat and hired a gang to attack us," he said, adding that should police fail to intervene, the fight will continue.

The management of the bus station has been a complicated one with locals fearing that the county government had lost its control to a group of youths.

Mr Odudo's wife told The Standard her husband had been complaining of his life being in danger and reported to the police.

The bus station is believed to be controlled by a gang known as American Marines with an affiliate controlling Kondele shopping centre and its environs.