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Kipchumba Murkomen, the Cabinet Secretary for Roads and Transport, says anti-government protesters caused damages estimated at Ksh700 million on the Nairobi Expressway during Wednesday’s demonstrations.

Speaking when he inspected the section of the multi-billion road affected at Mlolongo and Syokimau on Thursday, the CS noted that three railway stations and other key infrastructures were also destroyed and looted by protesters yesterday.

“There are 3 railway stations that were damaged during yesterday’s demos. We witnessed pre-planned attacks on key infrastructure. They came with equipment to cut copper wires. They targeted materials that they could sell,” Murkomen revealed.

“The damage could be over $5 million on the expressway not adding the damage to the railway stations.”

Murkemen further disclosed that at least 50 people have so far been arrested in connection with the incident.

“Fortunately most of them were captured on camera, we have the footage, the police have arrested not less than 50 people in relation to the acts that happened here yesterday but we had almost 2,000 people operating from here,” he said.

He said the government will do “everything humanly possible” to bring the vandals and those who planned the demonstrations to book.

According to Murkomen, the state would seek fines from the culprits for the damage caused to the key infrastructure launched by former President Uhuru Kenyatta in July last year.

“We will make sure that all those who organised this targeted attack are going to personally pay. They will carry the liability for every damage that was caused and for every penny that will be paid from the exchequer they will be asked to indemnify the people of Kenya,” he said. 

“We will do so by making sure that we arrest and charge everyone who was involved, we will also carry out a civil suit to make sure that all the organisers are held accountable.” 

He faulted the opposition for the damage, saying the violent protests witnessed on Wednesday amount to acts of terrorism.

“This is not a civilized way to deal with a political issue. We know that there was no political statement being made yesterday but just an act of terrorism to instil fear in Kenyans,” he added.

The opposition had called for the rallies in a bid to force President William Ruto’s Kenya Kwanza administration, to among others, lower the cost of living and repeal the Finance Act 2023, which introduced additional taxes on Kenyans.