Nairobi — Rowdy protesters torched a cargo truck destined for Uganda on Tuesday near Kibra, along the Southern bypass during the antigovernmental demonstrations called by Opposition leader Raila Odinga.

The mob, estimated to be around 100, attacked set the vehicle ablaze after they failed to break into the lorry container.

Police would then disperse them but were unable to put off the fire since there was no fire engine on site.

According to the truck driver, Jibril Abduba, the incident began when goons blocked the road and started attacking him before police deployed teargas canisters which forced them to momentarily retreat allowing him to escape from the truck.

Police would then disperse them but were unable to put off the fire since there was no fire engine on site.

Abduba who was transporting electricity cables from the port city of Mombasa was on his way to Kampala when he was attacked at around 11:50 a.m. as he was attempting to turn his vehicle.

"When I arrived at this intersection, the youth began accosting us, throwing stones and projectiles at us, forcing the police officers who were engaging them to retreat before they attacked me as I was attempting to turn my vehicle," he told reporters a few metres from the burning lorry.

Abduba reported that the police had initially given him the go-ahead to drive through the intersection, but things escalated quickly, and the police officers retreated from the scene, leaving him and his cargo exposed.

"The police advised us that everything was fine to drive through, but upon arriving here, they retreated and left us alone," he said.

The incident came a few hours after protesters set a Public Service Vehicle (PSV) ablaze in Ngong Road while barricading the road with stones and lighting bonfires.