County official, cab driver injured in Sunday crash

The cab veered off and overturned at section 58 along the Nakuru - Nairobi highway on April 25, 2021. [Kipsang Joseph, Standard]

A county enforcement officer and a cab driver were yesterday morning injured in a car crash at Section 58 on Nakuru- Nairobi Highway.

Nakuru East Deputy sub-county Police Commander Phanton Analo said that the accident happened at around 10am, when enforcement officers attempted to arrest Richard Gichuki, a Wasili cab driver for not paying parking fees.

“Three officers entered his motor vehicle and ordered him to drive to Nakuru Town but he defied their order and sped off,” said Analo.

He said as one of the officers tried to arrest the driver, the vehicle veered off the road, hit the guard rail, and overturned.

The driver and the officers sustained cuts and bruises on their hands. They were taken to Nairobi Women Hospital, treated and discharged.

The cab overturned at section 58 along the Nakuru - Nairobi highway. [Kipsang Joseph, Standard]

Analo said police are probing the incident.

Gichuki, on the other hand, blamed the ununiformed county officers for the accident.

“I asked them to let me confirm whether the owner had paid but they asked me to drive the car. I started driving towards Free Area and an altercation ensued between me and the officer who was sitting next to me,” said Gichuki.

He claimed that the officer held on to the steering. When he successfully removed the officer’s hand, he stepped on the accelerator pedal.

The cab overturned. [Kipsang Joseph, Standard]

As he tried to take over the control of the car, Gichuki said the officer stepped on his foot which was on the accelerator pedal. It was during the altercation that the car veered off the road and overturned.

Esther Wairimu, the cab owner, expressed her shock and concern over the incident.

“I use the money I get from the cab to feed my family and my mother who has been sick for the last four years and is bedridden. What will happen to my family now?” she posed.

She called on Nakuru Governor Lee Kinyanjui to ensure she is compensated.

Wasili cab being towed away. [Kipsang Joseph, Standard]

Digital Transport organizing secretary Mathew Lesanjo wondered how the officers were allowed to operate on Sunday, uniformed and outside town.

He noted that many cabs were unable to pay the Sh1,000 seasonal parking fees due to Covid-19 pandemic and the curfew. “How can this incident happen because of Sh1,000?” 

The Standard's attempt to get a response from the director in charge of County Enforcement Michael Wathika were futile as our calls and text messages went unanswered.