Protesters destroy county offices and MP's property

Business owners in Eastern counties were left counting losses on Wednesday following the nationwide anti-Finance Bill demonstrations.

In Makueni’s Wote town, small-scale traders operating barber shops, saloons, phone repair shops and boutiques were at a loss after a huge fire razed down their premises.

It was alleged that the fire was caused by teargas canisters thrown to disperse rowdy youth.

“I was operating a saloon and I had stocked saloon equipment for sale but all are gone,” said Stephen Mulei, a proprietor of a famous saloon in the town.

Faith Mwende operated a boutique. All her stock was stolen during the demonstrations.

“My children came home for the mid-term break. They need to travel back to school next week plus clearing of school fees but now I have been left jobless and without any other source of income,” she said

Phone repair shops were most affected as the gadgets were reduced to ashes with clients demanding replacements from empty-handed repairers. 

Majority of youth who took to streets on Tuesday in other towns of Makindu and Emali in Kibwezi West constituency appeared angered by their area MP, Mwengi Mutuse, for voting yes to what they termed as an oppressing Finance Bill.

“Mwengi did not represent our interests when he supported the Bill. We, the people rejected the Bill and we expected him to do so as he represents us,” a boda boda operator who was among protesters told The Standard.

At Makindu, protesters pelted stones at a hotel associated with Mwengi and later marched to the CDF offices to express their plight before police intervened to disperse them.

Over the weekend, Mwengi defended his decision to support the Bill. He said that he had voted for the proposed law after the contagious causes were removed.

He also said the Bill will enable the government tarmac Emali Ukia road, a key road in the county.

In Machakos, the county government headquarters remained closed on Wednesday as detectives and other government agencies assessed the damage caused by protesters.

On Tuesday morning, enraged demonstrators stormed the parking lot at the county headquarters offices and vandalised vehicles. They also made away with valuables including laptops and cameras.

[Stephen Nzioka, Erastus Mulwa and Phillip Muasya]