Businesses remain shut in Kisii for fear of possible looting

Most businesses in Kisii remained shut for the better part of Thursday with traders citing possible looting as reason for keeping off.

Several small-scale traders who mostly vend their wares on the street sides failed to report to work too.

Shops affected by looting on Tuesday were also closed.

A spot check by the Star found some traders were fixing the broken grills on their doors ahead of reopening.

On the streets, anti-riot police conducted patrols from street to street.

By 3 pm the anticipated protests had not taken place.

The Star counted over eight patrol vehicles with police in full anti-riot gear patrolling the streets.

At Mwembe, the Star counted five more lorries carrying police officers on standby.

Most outlets at the estate, especially eateries, were also looted on Tuesday.

Downtown, pockets of bodaboda riders whistled as the police vehicle passed by.

Traders who spoke to the Star said they were still monitoring the situation before reopening their businesses fully.

"I opened mine briefly and attended to a few customers before I closed. I am however still hovering around just in case," Benard Makori who operates a small shop downtown Kisii told the Star.

Separately, Kisii County Bar Owners and Hoteliers (KCBOH) officials have condemned the Tuesday raids by goons on various joints in Kisii town.

At least three major joints suffered significant losses after suspected goons carted away food and drinks.

A dealer in a wines and spirits shop lost a stock costing Sh2.4 million to the looters during the protests.

KCBOH chair Eric Matagaro said the losses suffered by most of his members run into millions.

"It can go higher if you include the cost of doing repairs," he told the Star.

He asked the youth doing protests to do so peacefully without looting from businesses.

"We may not stop the demos because it is your constitutional right but do them in a way that does not infringe the rights of traders," Matagaro said.