Tension gripped Makongeni, Thika Town, on Sunday morning after a  police officer shot and killed two boda boda riders in a confrontation following a road accident near Makongeni Police Station.

According to witnesses, the officer, who is attached to the local station, knocked down a rider and his pillion passenger in what police later described as a “non-injury accident.”

The officer reportedly blamed the rider for making a wrong move and drove off in his private Audi saloon car, saying no harm had been caused.

However, other boda boda riders felt the officer was in the wrong and pursued him a few meters ahead, forcing him to stop.

The officer, sensing danger from the crowd, stepped out of his car armed. In the ensuing confrontation, he opened fire, killing two riders on the spot as others fled.

The shocked riders later regrouped and returned in large numbers, pelting the officer with stones. Overwhelmed, he withdrew from the scene, leaving his vehicle behind.

The mob set the car ablaze, reducing it to a shell before police reinforcements arrived.

Kiambu County Police Commander Doris Mugambi confirmed that the officer was disarmed and detained at Thika Police Station pending investigations.

“We have launched a probe into the incident. While we regret the loss of lives, we urge boda boda riders not to take the law into their own hands,” she said.

She also warned against a rising trend of mob justice involving boda boda operators, noting similar incidents in recent weeks.

“Last week, a group of riders set a bus on fire along Thika Road near Juja after an accident claimed one of their own. A similar case was reported in Donholm, Nairobi, last month. These acts of hooliganism cannot be tolerated,” Mugambi added.

Meanwhile, boda boda riders in Thika staged protests demanding justice for their slain colleagues. They accused police officers of impunity and heavy-handedness, calling for accountability in the case.

The wreckage of the burnt Audi was later towed to Makongeni Police Station. Police say they are focusing on identifying riders behind violent acts but also promised transparency in handling Sunday’s fatal shooting.

The incident has once again highlighted the strained relationship between boda boda riders and law enforcement, even as reforms in the sector continue to face resistance.