We lost Ksh3b in anti-Finance Bill protests – lobby

Nairobi business community allegedly lost over Sh3 billion due to rampant looting and vandalism in the Central Business District (CBD) over the past three weeks, officials have said.

Condemning the destruction and theft that swept through the city, Wilfred Kamau, the chairman of the community, said organised criminals had infiltrated peaceful demonstrations by Gen Z, exploiting the situation to break into and vandalize businesses.

Coordinated effort

“The demonstrators had their agenda, but other groups took advantage. What we saw on television and witnessed even yesterday morning downtown showed a coordinated effort to cause chaos,” he stated.

Kamau accused certain politicians of orchestrating these acts to frame the Gen Z demonstrators. “We know you. Insiders have told us, ‘yes, we were paid to destroy businesses.’ We will come for you,” he warned.

According to the lobby, most vandalism occurred in downtown Nairobi, an area not typically frequented by Gen Z demonstrators, who primarily gathered in central parts of the city.

Kamau questioned the narrative that young demonstrators were behind the chaos. “How can my son, a Gen Z, think of bringing coffins to town? How can my daughter break into a downtown supermarket? They don’t even know downtown,” he argued.

The community also criticized the police and the government for their inadequate response, citing instances where law enforcement took over three hours to react to looting at establishments like Naivas and other supermarkets.

Benedicta Njeri, a business owner affected by the vandalism, shared her distress. “I lost more than Sh400,000 during Tuesday’s demonstrations. I am new to business in Nairobi, only six months in, and now I have nothing. They broke into my shop and took everything,” she said. Njeri had operated a clothing shop on Moi Avenue and had moved to Nairobi with hopes of bettering her life, only to be left devastated by the recent events.