Three arrested over alleged mobilisation of goons for Wednesday demos

Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) headquarters

In a swift intelligence-led operation, detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations have arrested three suspects linked to orchestrating the violence that marred Wednesday’s protests in Nairobi.

The arrests took place at the Konza City section, where the suspects were intercepted on a Mombasa-bound bus, following an extensive forensic investigation fueled by testimonies from concerned citizens.

The trio is accused of inciting goons to engage in violent acts, including massive theft and widespread destruction of property.

Their actions have been condemned by the DCI as a deliberate attempt to undermine national stability and disrupt the constitutionally protected rights of Kenyans to peaceably assemble and picket.

Police revealed that the suspects had planned to evade capture by retreating to a coastal hideout, unaware that law enforcement was closing in.

Additional suspects have already been identified and are currently being pursued.

Wednesday’s rallies, which began as peaceful tributes to over 60 people who lost their lives during last year’s protests, quickly devolved into chaos.

Young men engaged in running battles with police, set fires, and tore up pavements to use as projectiles.

In anticipation of the protests, banks and schools in Nairobi’s central business district remained closed, while police secured key government buildings including the State House and Parliament with multiple layers of razorsharp wire.

Shops and businesses in central Nairobi were also attacked, looted and burned by unidentified groups among the demonstrators.

Some protesters also burned security barricades in the city and physically attacked suspected plain-clothed officers.

In Kikuyu town, local government buildings, including a police station and courtroom were stormed and some torched. 

The violence resulted in at least 19 deaths and the destruction of thousands of businesses.

The Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) said preliminary investigations documented 531 injuries, 15 enforced disappearances, two cases of individual rape, two cases of gang rape and one case of attempted rape.

It added that police made 179 arrests and promised to issue a more comprehensive statement at a later date.

The DCI has vowed to hold accountable those responsible for the violence.

The three suspects are expected to be arraigned in court on Monday and face multiple charges including malicious damage to property, arson, theft, incitement to violence, and disobedience of the law.