The government has vowed to end violence, widespread looting and destruction of property witnessed during protests that have rocked the country.
In a statement, Interior Cabinet Secretary Kindiki Kithure has put the criminals on notice warning that the reign of terror against the people of Kenya and the impunity of the dangerous gangs must end at whatever cost.
The stern warning follows a wave of protests that have rocked the country for the last two weeks over the Finance Bill 2024 which has since been dropped after President William Ruto failed to sign it and withdrew it in its entirety.
The initial peaceful anti-finance bill demonstrations by the young people known as Generation Zs have morphed into civil unrest where criminals have engaged in acts of lawlessness such as robbing innocent people in broad daylight while others have vandalized and looted businesses in major cities including Nairobi, Mombasa, Nakuru, and Kisumu.
Kindiki has consequently assured members of the public that the planners, executors and financiers of large-scale arson, violent robberies and other felonious crimes will be brought to justice.
“This reign of terror against the people of Kenya and the impunity of dangerous criminal gangs must end at whatever cost. The Government is determined to stop criminals aiming to terrorise the public and harm Kenya, notwithstanding attempts to politicise crime” he said.
The CS further disclosed that similar protests by the criminal gangs were planned for Thursday and Sunday in several parts of the country.
“The organisers of today’s orgy of violence in parts of Nairobi, Mombasa and several other parts of the Country are reportedly planning to repeat their anarchic chaos and cruel plunder again on Thursday and Sunday this week, and perhaps much more frequently in the future,” he said.
Prof. Kindiki noted that on Tuesday 25th June 2024, the anti-finance bill protests rocked Nairobi and several other towns in Kenya as a result of which lives were lost, property worth billions of shillings destroyed or looted.
He decried that despite the termination of the Bill, hordes of marauding criminal gangs continue to pose a grave danger to the public, riding on announced plans for peaceful protests to disturb public order, commit arson, obstruct public transport and terrorise the people of Kenya with violence.
“The unrest, legitimately initiated as the democratic expression of public disapproval of the Finance Bill 2024, led to the termination of the Bill.” Said Kindiki. Adding that “Notwithstanding the termination of the Bill, hordes of marauding criminal gangs continue to pose grave danger to the public, riding on announced plans for peaceful protests to disturb public order, commit arson, obstruct public transport and terrorise the people of Kenya with violence.”
He noted security agencies remain alert to intercept and thwart harm to the public and attempts to attack critical infrastructure and the emblems of Kenya´s sovereignty.
While hailing the police for exercising restraint during the violent riots, Kindiki promised that claims of unlawful conduct by some of the officers would be investigated and appropriate action taken.
“Overall, the Police continue to act professionally and with restraint in the management of extremely provocative situations that arise in the course of the violent riots. The Government commends all law enforcement officers who continue to discharge their challenging mandate of preventing crime and protecting the lives and property of the people of Kenya”.
“Claims of some instances of unlawful conduct by law enforcement officers will be investigated and appropriate action taken” he added.
The Kenya National Commission on Human Rights has put the death toll from the anti-Finance Bill protests at 41.
