Utawala residents on Wednesday morning were on a rampage demonstrating against poor state of the roads in the area.
The residents burnt tyres and barricaded the roads with stones to block sand and ballast trucks that unruly pass through the area.
The claim that the trucks have caused a lot of dust on the roads which has posed health hazards to them, more so eyes and chest problems with some complaining of flu.
However, details have emerged that the truck drivers normally divert through Utawala to run away from officers at a weigh bridge along Mombasa road, Mlolongo.
Protests on going in Utawala. Residents are complaining about sand and ballast trucks messing up the road and bringing a lot of dust. The trucks use the road to avoid the weigh-bridge at Mlolongo
— Char-lee Oddie (@Oddcharley) September 26, 2018
Utawala: The name is derived from ATPU college.. There’s also GSU and KDF.. That’s where the trucks avoiding Weigh Bridge police at Mlolongo are entering Nairobi. In Short, Criminals are escaping towards a police training college to avoid police. And police is “not” aware. KENYA
— Antony Tito Sammy (@tito_antony) September 26, 2018
These drivers might be doing so because of carrying overweight which can expose them to arrest by officers at the weigh bridge with an exposure to high fines.
Utawala residents called upon relevant authorities to to look into the matter immediately to save them from health hazards.