Traders counting loses after massive looting during anti-Finance Bill protests » Capital News
NAIROBI Kenya, Jun 26 – Traders are counting their losses following massive looting and vandalism during yesterday’s anti-Finance Bill protests.
The Nairobi Central Business District (CBD) and downtown shops were the worst affected in the chaos.
Several people also broke into supermarkets across the city, including Quickmart on Ronald Ngala Street, Carrefour in Nairobi CBD, and Naivas on Moi Avenue.
Looters also ransacked mobile phone shops, clothes shops, and shoe shops for the better part of the afternoon during the chaos.
Alex Muia one of the Traders in Nairobi stated that he has lost goods worth Sh500,000 as his shop was vandalized during the protests.
“I have lost a lot of things and there is no otherwise because there is nothing to do but start from scratch. We expected the President to at least say he has withdrawn the finance bill, he doesn’t really care about us Kenyans he only cared about himself and his security,” he said.
Sianda Building located along Ronald Ngala Road, was also vandalized and later set on fire on the evening of Tuesday leaving extensive damages to the businesses.
Looters also broke into Uganda House along Kenyatta Avenue and made away with goods of unknown value before setting it on fire.
While the value of the damage remains unknown, President William Ruto, in a night address to the public described Tuesday’s violent chaos in Parliament as treasonous and vowed a firm response to restore normalcy.
In a hard-hitting address from State House on Tuesday evening, the president asserted that the chaos was orchestrated and funded by unnamed individuals aiming to destabilize the country.
“We shall provide a full and expeditious response to the treasonous events,” the president stated, assuring the nation of the government’s determination to secure the country. He also issued a stern warning: “I hereby put on notice the financiers of violence and anarchy.”
This comes following Tuesday’s protests being the most heated since they began, on June 18.
The protesters who were mainly youths stormed the streets to demand the rejection of the Finance Bill, 2024.
Thousands of protesters engaged in running battles with the police, who fired rubber bullets and tear gas to disperse the crowds.
Similar chaos erupted in major towns, including Nakuru, Mombasa, Eldoret, and Nyeri. Businesses were shut, and transport was paralyzed as police clashed with demonstrators calling for MPs to reject the proposed tax increases.
Chaotic scenes unfolded as police struggled to disperse rioters who stormed Parliament following the passage of the controversial Finance Bill, which seeks to raise taxes.
The confrontations were marked by live bullets and tear gas moments after Members of Parliament approved the bill. Several protesters sustained serious bullet wounds during the clashes.
At least five protesters were shot dead as police struggled to disperse the rioters. Witnesses reported seeing the bodies of the deceased lying in pools of blood outside Parliament.
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