Hon. Paul Biego Polo, the Member of Parliament for Chesumei, has expressed deep heartbreak following the destruction of his commercial truck during recent protests in Naivasha.
The MP took to social media to share his devastation after his vehicle was caught up in the fuel hike demonstrations.
The vehicle, a Mercedes-Benz Actros 3340, was reportedly torched by a mob. According to the MP, the truck was valued at more than Ksh 20 million.
It had just completed a delivery of maize flour (unga) from Eldoret to Kanini Haraka Wholesalers in Naivasha when the incident occurred.
Targeted in Naivasha
In an emotional Facebook post, Biego claimed that his vehicle was not a victim of random violence.
“Imagine the sheer heartbreak of watching years of your life’s work vanish in a single moment of lawlessness. Because of the lawlessness during today's uncalled-for Maandamano, my truck worth over KSh 20 million—an Actros 3340—was completely destroyed in Naivasha.”
He alleged that the perpetrators specifically targeted the truck because they identified it as being from the North Rift region.
“What’s more heartbreaking and deeply unsettling is that there seems to be a coordinated active targeting and monitoring of vehicles and trucks from North Rift in this ongoing violence,” the MP stated.
A Heavy Financial Blow
The loss is a significant financial hit for the legislator. He described the truck as the result of years of "sleepless nights" and "relentless sacrifice". For Biego, the vehicle was more than just a piece of machinery; it represented his honest hard work and his family’s livelihood.
“In a single flash of senseless violence, livelihoods have been shattered, families have been left vulnerable, and the dreams and sweat of so many people have been reduced to nothing but smoke and ashes,” he added.
The Human Cost of Unrest
The MP’s reaction highlights the personal toll that political and economic unrest can take on citizens and business owners. He described seeing the honest labour of citizens destroyed in an instant as utterly heartbreaking.
Biego lamented that such acts of violence leave families vulnerable and reduce years of "dreams and sweat" to nothing but smoke and ashes.
The matatu strike is on day 2 today, Tuesday, after stalled talks between the public transport sector representatives and the government, despite EPRA reducing the Diesel price to KSh 10.
The Matatu Owners Association maintains that diesel prices must fall by a minimum of KSh 30 per litre to offset high operational overheads. With further negotiations scheduled for later Tuesday and Wednesday, transport operators have vowed to keep their vehicles grounded.
