President William Ruto has vowed to protect businesses against destruction and looting by criminals during protests.

Speaking during a ceremony to observe World MSME Day on Friday, June 27, 2025, in Nairobi, Ruto stated that the country cannot go in the direction of destruction of property, and that he wields the responsibility of protecting every business in the country.

“I will do the best that I can to protect everybody and their businesses because it is a responsibility that I have at the moment. Until that responsibility is exercised by somebody else, I will do it. Let us be clear that we cannot continue in this manner, we have to find another way of doing business,” Ruto said

Investigations

The head of state similarly directed the Inspector General of Police, Douglas Kanja, to expedite investigations to unmask the planners and executors of the looting and destruction witnessed in Nairobi and other parts of the country during the Gen Z memorial protest on Wednesday, June 25, 2025.

“I expect the Inspector General of Police to conduct immediate, thorough and speedy investigations. The perpetrators of this violence, looting and destruction must be identified and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law swiftly and decisively,” Ruto ordered.

“Kenya is a country governed by the rule of law, and the government would not allow such acts to destroy lives and livelihoods,” he remarked.

Politicians on notice

Ruto equally put politicians on notice, warning that they would be arrested and prosecuted for their role in the chaos and destruction witnessed during the protests.

“To the political actors who think they can exploit the genuine aspirations of our young people to forment chaos and destruction, the wheels of justice will find you and deal with you firmly, decisively and within the letter of the law,” Ruto said.

“The only thing you have is hate and violence, and then you want us to agree with you, really? If you persuade us, I can also go and concentrate on farming and help in food security. But don’t burn the country for heaven’s sake; we don’t have another country,” he urged.

“If we go this route, we will not have a country, and the country does not belong to William Ruto. It belongs to all of us, and if there is no country for William Ruto, there is no country for you. So, let us be honest and candid with ourselves on what it is that we are trying to achieve.”