Members of the civil society have raised concerns over a rise in criminal gangs in the country under the guise of demonstrations.
Through the Kenya National Dialogue Forum, they attributed the rise in cases of looting and violent robbery to the resurgence of gangs.
Stakeholders said the demonstrations had lost their original objective, with some of those involved engaging in robbery.
Addressing the press in Naivasha after a two-day consultative meeting organised by the NCIC, stakeholders warned the country is headed for anarchy if the current impasse is not resolved.
Abubakar Fadhil said the rise in criminal gangs in the demonstrations is worrying, with the youth turning against innocent members of the public.
While calling for an immediate stop to the demonstrations, she said tens of lives had been lost and property worth millions lost, leading to further suffering by Kenyans.
“Peaceful picketing is enshrined in our constitution,” she said.
“But the ongoing demonstrations have created more criminal gangs, who are now attacking and robbing at will.”
Fadhil appealed to President William Ruto and opposition leader Raila Odinga to put aside their differences and dialogue for the sake of millions of Kenyans.
“We condemn the violence by the protesters, the police and we are calling on the two national leaders to listen to the voices of the masses and act,” she said.
Ahmed Mohammed said the demonstrations have lost their meaning, with innocent members of the public losing their lives and property.
“As we call for dialogue, we have noted that the demonstrations have turned out to be negative and are killing our economy. It's time this was called off,” he said.
Youth leader Felix Olwaka said they should be involved in dialogue as the group is the most affected by the demos that have left more than 10 dead.
“The dialogue should be pushed to the grassroots as this is where youths have been affected by the harsh economic times and demonstrations,” he said.
Community leader Hassan Wako Isiolo expressed fears that the country is headed to the dogs, adding that the way forward lies in engagement.