• Another set of demonstrations is set for today, July 2, 2024.
• Rotich said they must firmly deal with these individuals who want loot and maim.
Image: FILE:
Elgeyo Marakwet Governor Wesley Rotich has urged Kenyan youths not to allow goons to hijack their issue-based agenda.
In a statement on Monday, Rotich said they must firmly deal with individuals who want loot and maim.
"To our Gen-Z, please deal firmly with those who want to hijack your issue-based agenda. Don’t allow goons to infiltrate, loot, burn or maim," he said on Facebook.
The governor explained that the property the infiltrating goons want to destroy and steal belongs to their fathers, mothers, sisters, brothers, sons and daughters.
For this reason, he said that they should not allow goons to damage their tribeless reputation
"They will struggle to get back to their feet if their businesses are vandalised. Don’t allow goons to ruin your peaceful and tribeless reputation," Governor Rotich said.
"You are teaching Kenya how to be tribeless therefore looters should be kept at bay," he said.
His remarks come a few days after the country witnessed incidences of massive looting and theft during Thursday, June 25, protests in Nairobi.
Another set of demonstrations is set for today, July 2, 2024.
Leaders and Kenyans have decried the trail of destruction the demonstrations left in their wake.
There has been admission on the government side that the protests, driven mostly by the youth, were largely peaceful until they were infiltrated by criminal elements.
President William Ruto said on Sunday during a media roundtable that at least 19 lives were lost although the number has been disputed by other agencies.
On Monday, the DCI said he had launched investigations to apprehend and prosecute individuals who took advantage of the protests last week and went on a looting spree, destroying property and businesses.
DCI unveiled faces of some of the suspects caught on CCTV and called on Kenyans to report them to the nearest police station.
"When the Kenyan youths (Gen Z) organised nationwide peaceful protests to exercise their democratic right rejecting the proposed 2024-25 Finance Bill, other groups with criminal minds took advantage of the situation and devised schemes to cause harm and economically frustrate fellow Kenyans," DCI said in a statement.
In footage shared online by the DCI, suspects are seen breaking into business stalls inside a building on Ronald Ngala street before helping themselves to shoes and clothes
Most of the suspects wore caps and masks seemingly to disguise their identities.
Police said the looters posed as demonstrators and earmarked several business premises to loot.
They broke in and looted boutiques, electronic shops and supermarkets.
They set some business premises ablaze.