Police to arrest those who vandalised shops during Kitengela demos

Kajiado County Commissioner Felix Watikila says police have a long list of people to be arrested for vandalising shops during the last demos in Kitengela.

Among those to be arrested include a politician who unsuccessfully contested a parliamentary seat in the 2022 general election.

Watikila, the county security council chairman, told the Star that police have identified all the ringleaders through CCTV clips provided by the business community in Kitengela town.

“We do not want to name them here, but we have their names and where they live. We are not against demonstrations of any kind, but those that involve the destruction of property are forbidden here,” he said.

However, the County Commissioner is still evaluating the cost of the damage caused at the Kitengela assistant commissioner’s office where half of it was vandalised and later burnt by demonstrators.

Kitengela business community chairperson Paul Nderitu, after leading a meeting in the town on Friday said they will not allow further demos as planned by opposition leader Raila Odinga for next week.

“We will not allow our businesses to be brought down by hooligans in the name of demos against the high cost of living,” he said.

Nderitu said he is aware that most of the demonstrators were brought in from other counties by known people to come and break into shops in Kitengela.

“In the meeting that has just ended here at the Kitengela market, we have agreed as businessmen and women to protect our businesses next week,” he added.

He called upon President William Ruto and Raila to sit down and sought out their issues and end the current situation in the country.

“We will work closely with security agencies to ensure those causing insecurity during the planned demos are arrested and charged. We cannot continue losing our businesses to goons in this town,” he added.

The Kitengela youth leader, Anthony Kahoro, who also attended the business people meeting warned that if the demos will take place again next week, his members will handle the situation the way they know better.

He did not elaborate on how his members will react to the opposition's planned demos adding that the leadership in the county are against any demos aimed at hurting the business community.

Speaking separately on the phone, the chairman of the Kitengela Slaughterhouse Association William Ole Kasio said what happened in Kitengela last Wednesday is disturbing.

“Our members who have businesses in Kitengela town, and who are mostly Maasai, have expressed concern on how the town was turned upside down by demonstrators said to have come from other counties,” Kasio said.

Going forward, he said, any attempt by anyone to cause disharmony among the business community and those living in Kitengela will be met with the treatment it deserves.

“We will not seek the approval of the police to deal with rogue demonstrators in our town. As I talk now, my Maasai people want me to act, but I have told them to keep their cool. Let them come here next week, and they will regret forever why they came,” said Kasio.