NAIROBI, Kenya— Nairobi’s Central Business District was left counting losses this morning after widespread looting and destruction of property marred the aftermath of demonstrations held in memory of youths killed during the 2024 resistance against the Finance Bill.
Shattered windows, charred storefronts, and ransacked shelves were a common sight across the city centre, with traders waking up to vandalized shops and stolen goods.
“My shop has been swept dry, I don’t have anything left. I’m calling on the government to intervene,” lamented Joyce Njoki, a trader along Ronald Ngala Street.
Another shop owner, who requested anonymity, added, “Our losses run into millions. I don’t know where to start.”
The demonstrations, initially peaceful, escalated into chaos late in the evening as criminals took advantage of the unrest.
Some buildings were torched after valuables were looted, deepening the damage to already struggling businesses.
The unrest wasn’t confined to Nairobi alone.
Similar scenes of looting were reported in Nyeri and Rongai in Kajiado County, where a supermarket was raided by mobs.
Internal Security Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has since launched an assessment of the damage across affected areas.
The demonstrations, which turned violent, have so far left 16 people dead, further stoking national concern over rising unrest and economic strain on small businesses.
