Mlolongo Traders Painfully Recount How Tuesday Protestors Robbed Them Millions
Several traders in Machakos County are counting their losses after their businesses were raided and property worth millions of shillings was stolen during Tuesday’s anti-government demonstrations.
Those who spoke with AfricasNow on Wednesday expressed their dissatisfaction, recounting how they lost their jobs to the demonstrators.
They said it was unbelievable to lose their businesses worth millions of shillings, which they had built up over years, in less than 20 minutes.
“My club and liquor depot was broken into and liquor worth Sh3.5 million stolen during the demonstrations,” Felister Mueni said.
Her business, the Gaslight Club and Wines and Spirits Wholesale Store is in Mlolongo.
“Other than alcohol, they made away with other items like chairs including computers which I was using to manage the business,” she added.
During the chaotic demonstrations, she claimed that over 500 goons broke into the premises on the Nairobi-Mombasa highway.
Mueni claimed she had suffered unimaginable losses in the business she had built since 2018.
She claimed the goons stole CCTV servers, concealing evidence of their criminal activities.
“I was watching the looting incident on my phone’s CCTV application until they disconnected it and made away with the server. They swept my club and liquor outlet store clean with nothing left,” Mueni said.
She claimed that television sets were also stolen from the business premises.
Gaslight club and liquor wholesale that was broken into, vandalized, and looted during anti-government protests in Mlolongo, Machakos County, on July 3, 2024.
The looters also broke into an adjacent hotel and stole food, cooking equipment, utensils, and furniture, among other things.
Becky, the joint’s manager, stated that no one expected the business to be broken into and looted during the nationwide protest.
“The looters came from nowhere and broke into the premises that was closed during the incident. We called the police but they delayed to respond,” Becky said.
She claimed that some locals attempted to help repel the looters but were overwhelmed by their large numbers.
Becky reported that a butchery within the same establishment had also been broken into and looted.
“Butchery machinery, equipment, meat and everything was also stolen. We have nothing for now,” she said.
Becky stated that the incident had rendered at least ten of their employees unemployed.
In addition to herself, there are six bar attendants, two butchery attendants, and a solder.
“We reported the incident at the Mlolongo police station. “The looters also stole our CCTV backup,” Becky explained.
She claimed the joint had been looted during previous demonstrations.
“They broke into a fridge in front of the bar and stole liquor worth Sh80, 000,” Becky told me.
Mueni’s landlord, Chris Bitok, said locals attempted to restrain the looters but were outnumbered.
Bitok claimed that the hooligans subjected his tenants to extensive psychological torture as well as material loss worth millions.
Machakos County Police Commander Patrick Lobolia admitted that the demonstrations were infiltrated by goons throughout the county.
“The so-called picketing became nonpeaceful when stones are thrown, people looting other people’s property and when people start to block roads,” Lobolia told Reuters.
He ordered that all demonstrations in Machakos County end by 6.30 p.m.
“We want the demonstrators to obey the law and disperse by 6.30pm during their protests,” Lobolia said.
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“You will be putting yourself at risk after that time because it has been infiltrated by criminals, which is dangerous not only to innocent Kenyans but also to yourself and the protesters.”
He warned that anyone found breaking the law during the protests, including picketing after the designated time, would be arrested and prosecuted in court.
Mlolongo Traders Painfully Recount How Tuesday Protestors Robbed Them Millions
