The management of two supermarkets in Kagumo and Kagio towns, Kirinyaga County, has issued a firm 14-day ultimatum demanding that residents who looted properties during the Saba Saba protests promptly return the stolen goods.
This decision followed a significant meeting held on Thursday, July 10, where over 2,000 business owners, led by their chairman Anthony Mucheke, gathered at Wanguru International Stadium to deliberate on effective strategies for protecting their businesses in the future.
In response, posters were strategically placed across the county, warning looters to return all stolen items. By the close of business on Thursday, some residents had begun complying by returning goods. “Several items have been dropped near the supermarkets, others at police stations and along various roads,” reported one driver who has been ferrying the recovered goods in Kagio town.
The business community has collectively estimated their losses to exceed a staggering Ksh.200 million.
“We were caught off guard by these events, but we have now organized ourselves to better protect our interests. It is clear that those involved were not genuine protesters but criminals exploiting the situation,” Mucheke emphasized.
Businessman Charles Njiru, based in Kirinyaga, revealed that his supermarket suffered devastating losses valued at over Ksh.50 million after looters forcibly broke into his premises.
“I was shocked to see some local residents, including former employees who had left their jobs, taking advantage of the unrest by stealing from my business,” Njiru lamented.
