Kenyans Scramble for Cement from Overturned Lorry
Chaos erupted in Makutano, Kirinyaga County, on Tuesday, April 22, after a lorry transporting cement overturned. What followed was a disturbing display of disorder as locals rushed to the scene, sparking a cement looting chaos.
In footage obtained by Skynews.co.ke, dozens of people were seen surrounding the overturned vehicle, grabbing bags of cement. Some climbed atop the lorry, while others loaded their loot onto boda bodas or carried it on their backs.
The scene turned into a free-for-all, with no immediate presence of law enforcement to deter the looters. The absence of police allowed the looting frenzy to continue uninterrupted, as residents scrambled to secure as many bags as they could.
There were no immediate reports on the condition of the lorry driver or if there were any passengers involved or injured in the accident. However, the main concern wasn’t physical harm from the crash itself—it was the widespread looting that ensued.
Despite the cement posing no direct hazard, the act of looting is illegal. This incident adds to a growing list of similar events where citizens exploit accidents to unlawfully take goods.
Authorities have continuously warned about the hidden dangers in such circumstances. Fuel leaks, structural collapse, or fires could pose fatal threats to the looters, who often ignore the risks while focusing on the spoils.
This is not the first time such chaos has been captured on video. A few years ago, a trailer carrying soda overturned on the Eastern Bypass. The driver, visibly distressed, sat on the wrecked vehicle as dozens of people looted crates of soft drinks. Even motorists abandoned their vehicles to join in.
In another notable incident, a truck carrying maize and beans overturned on Thika Road. Drivers and passengers alike were seen filling their cars with the farm produce. Boda boda riders were also involved, quickly transporting the stolen grains.
The incident led to a severe traffic snarl-up on the road heading into Nairobi’s Central Business District. When police finally arrived, their primary focus was clearing the blocked road and restoring traffic flow rather than arresting the looters.
These repeated scenes of cement looting chaos raise serious questions about public responsibility and emergency response in Kenya. While poverty and desperation may push people to seize opportunities like these, the lack of enforcement and disregard for legal boundaries contribute to a growing culture of impunity.
More worrying is the public’s ignorance of the real dangers at such scenes. Accidents involving heavy commercial vehicles often come with flammable substances, and a single spark could result in fatalities.
The government has called for increased public awareness and stronger enforcement of laws to prevent such reckless behavior in the future. It’s clear that a better-coordinated emergency response and civic education campaign is needed to curb the trend of looting at accident scenes.
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Kenyans Scramble for Cement from Overturned Lorry
