Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has reported that 300 police officers were injured and several police stations were set on fire during violent protests that rocked the country on Wednesday, June 25.
In a press briefing held on Thursday, June 26, Murkomen described the unrest as a well-coordinated attempt to destabilize President William Ruto’s government.
According to Murkomen, a total of 400 people were injured during the protests, including 300 police officers and around 100 civilians. He also confirmed that more than ten individuals lost their lives in the chaos.
The CS blamed hired criminals for hijacking the peaceful demonstrations and turning them into violent confrontations that targeted police officers and critical security facilities.
Murkomen revealed that some of the worst incidents happened in Kiambu County, where five guns were stolen from the Dagoretti Police Post.
At the same time, four guns were burned when the Gachui Police Post was torched by protestors. “There were about 300 injured police officers and 100 injured civilians, making a total of 400 casualties,” he stated.
He also noted that there appeared to be a pattern in how the violence unfolded, with several police stations deliberately targeted. “What happened in specific constituencies was not random. The way police stations were attacked and burned points to a planned operation. I believe those behind it wanted to send a message — that there is no longer law and order, and that the state has collapsed,” Murkomen alleged.
In addition to the attacks on police officers and stations, 27 government vehicles belonging to both the national and county governments were destroyed. Protestors also vandalized 65 private vehicles that were parked within police compounds and public areas.
The Interior CS went on to say that critical government offices, including law courts and administrative buildings, were looted and set ablaze. He claimed that the destruction caused during the protests ran into billions of shillings in losses.
“Businesses were ruthlessly looted and burned. Criminals targeted small kiosks, supermarkets, electronics shops, hotels, and restaurants.
Even residential homes were not spared. One of the affected properties belongs to the Catholic Church in Embu County,” Murkomen explained.
He condemned the destruction, stating that what began as peaceful demonstrations had been hijacked by criminals whose mission was to incite lawlessness and fear across the country.
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