How Outering Road goons are terrifying residents

Outering Road is fast descending into lawlessness. Once infamous for its potholes, traffic jams, and accident rates, it now bears the stain of blood and smoke.

On Monday afternoon, violence erupted as rival groups from Kariobangi clashed along the road, paralysing traffic. At the heart of the dispute is control of the Harmony bus stage in Kariobangi, where a new matatu SACCO has begun operations without the consent of entrenched players in the area's lucrative transport turf.

"We're just fighting for what's rightfully ours," said a matatu conductor.

What began as a turf war has now spiralled into organised mayhem. There are reports that goons have taken advantage of the clashes to rob, stab, and even kill residents. At least four fatalities have been reported in the past two months.

"The fighting started as a dispute over the bus stage, but it's clear that one group has been politically infiltrated," said Billy Santos, chairman of the stage.

"At night, goons are roaming the area, beating and robbing people, and some are even stabbed to death. We've recovered the bodies of four people killed right here at the stage."

This wasn't an isolated flare-up. On July 24, the area was rocked by violence in Kiamaiko and Kariobangi North, where tension simmered after a police officer from Huruma was reportedly attacked and injured by suspected drug peddlers.

"They were not able to rescue one of their own, so they started fighting the police. That's when we came in, sought reinforcement, and were able to repulse them," Said Maureen Kuto, Deputy Police Commander, Starehe.

Several businesses were set on fire, mobile phones were stolen, and at least five officers were injured in the chaos. While it appeared to be spontaneous, footage and resident accounts suggest the events were orchestrated.

"There's something deeper going on," said a Kiamaiko resident who requested anonymity. "Some of these youth showed up with brand-new pangas-more than ten. This isn't just random violence. Someone is arming them."

Videos captured scenes of civilians being mugged, businesses looted, and shops and homes set ablaze.

"As I got out of my house, I met some men with pangas. I placed my arms across my head to protect myself, but they cut me. So, is this the peace that we want?" said Joel Kiptoo, a Kariobangi resident.