In an unprecedented act, hundreds of people invaded a parcel of land associated with the family of former President Uhuru Kenyatta in Kamakis along the Eastern bypass, Nairobi, Monday.
Armed with crude weapons, and unrestrained, they spent the better part of the day inside the Northlands farm, felling trees with power saws, lighting fires and looting.
In scenes which sent shock waves across a city reeling from violent protests staged by Azimio supporters, the goons carried sheep on their shoulders, loading them into waiting cars and motorbikes.
For the two hours, we monitored the situation at the farm, police did not show up. Yet the video recordings of the events went viral early in the day, eliciting reactions.
Some youths attacked Nation Media Group journalists and damaged their vehicle when they discovered that they had cameras.
Attempts by an NTV reporter to interview the youths infuriated them further and they asked the crew to leave or face dire consequences.
"We know you, journalists, you pretend to be with us but you will eventually turn against us, we are not going to accept to be interviewed or be filmed by anyone, we ask that you leave here immediately or you face dire consequences," shouted one of the youths.
Standard Group journalists escaped unhurt after the driver sped off after sensing danger. The Standard team had spent the two hours patrolling the area where they witnessed the youths fell trees, burn vegetation, cart away sheep and behave in a manner that looked like they were demarcating the land.
Vehicles suspected to have ferried the goons were parked by the roadside. The youths destroyed a section of the fence to gain access to the farm as some staff watched helplessly from a distance as they made frantic calls.
As the goons had field day, logging trees at the farm and carting away sheep, their counterparts in the Azimio protests faced the wrath of riot police who lobbed teargas canisters at them and sprayed them with water.
Some of the youths approached The Standard team with an offer to sell the sheep for between Sh500 and Sh1,000.
At the same time, another set of goons pelted a company associated with Azimio leader Raila Odinga with stones. The gas firm, East Africa Spectre Limited, located in Nairobi's Industrial Area was attacked by rowdy youths, after the Northlands attack.
The Security and Safety Manager at the company, Humphrey Waswa, said the youths who came riding on motorbikes started throwing stones at the premises, shattering windows before police officers arrived and dispersed them.
"There were people in three cars, Land Cruiser V8, who started surveying this place in the morning. Some (of the cars) had number plates and others did not have number plates. They patrolled until 9am. At around 10am, I saw people on motorbikes approaching the company. We thought maybe they were coming to see Mzee (Raila) but we saw them with stones which they used to break windows," said Mr Waswa.
He said the windows to the offices of Ida Odinga and Yvonne Odinga - the wife of Raila Junior - were damaged during the attack.
"Their target was our managing director because her office is the most damaged," he claimed.
Monday, Raila condemned the attacks calling them an act of cowardice. He said the attack will not shake his resolve.
When The Standard contacted the Nairobi County Police Commander Adamson Bungei to explain the failure of police to respond, he referred us to his Central Regional conterpart.
Legal Expert Bob Mkangi said that the invasion or private property is a crime that may lead to culprits being charged for trespass, destruction of property and theft once the owner of the land makes formal complaint to the police.
Raila condemned the invasion of Northlands farm owned by the family of former President Uhuru Kenyatta and his family-owned East Africa Spectre Limited in Nairobi by goons.
The Azimio leader accused some senior government officials of being behind the invasion of the land owned by the Kenyatta family along the Eastern bypass and attack on his family-owned gas company in Industrial Area.
He termed the attack on the Kenyatta and Odinga property an act of fear by Kenya Kwanza Alliance leaders who are out to silence Kenyans from participating in demonstrations.
Raila said that Azimio would not be cowed or intimidated by those acts.
"You have seen they have sent goons to a farm owned by the family of former President Uhuru Kenyatta and the East African Spectre Company that I own, those are acts of cowardice which will not shake our resolve in championing the rights of Kenyans through demonstrations," said Raila.
Hundreds of youths invaded the Northlands farm at around 10am Monday, felled trees using power saws, lit fire and looted sheep. This happened without the intervention of the police.
enyarangi@standardmedia.co.ke
