Transport Cabinet Secretary (CS) Kipchumba Murkomen has stated that the damages at the Mlolongo Expressway Toll Station could exceed Ksh.706.7 million ($5 million).
This comes after rowdy protesters uprooted fences, barricaded, and vandalised the road during anti-government protests on Wednesday, disrupting traffic on the route.
CS Murkomen, speaking during a road inspection on Thursday, stated that, in addition to the damage to the Expressway, three railway stations and other key infrastructures were destroyed as protesters targeted tradeable items.
“There are 3 railway stations that were damaged during yesterday’s demos. We witnessed pre-planned attacks on key infrastructure. They came with equipment to cut copper wires. They targeted materials that they could sell,’ he said.
“The damage could be over $5 million on the expressway not adding the damage to the railway stations.”
According to Murkomen, an ongoing investigation has already resulted in the arrest of more than 50 people, with more expected to be apprehended as intelligence agencies use CCTV footage to identify the suspects.
“Fortunately most of them were captured on camera, we have the footage, the police have arrested not less than 50 people in relation to the acts that happened here yesterday but we had almost 2,000 people operating from here,” he said.
“We will do everything humanly possible to ensure that each criminal who was here yesterday is going to be brought to justice.”
The Transport Minister also stated that all those found culpable will bear the cost of the damages and will reimburse the exchequer for the amount paid.
“We will make sure that all those who organised this targeted attack are going to personally pay. They will carry the liability for every damage that was caused and for every penny that will be paid from the exchequer they will be asked to indemnify the people of Kenya,” he said.
“We will do so by making sure that we arrest and charge everyone who was involved, we will also carry out a civil suit to make sure that all the organisers are held accountable.”
Murkomen condemned the violence seen during the protests and warned those planning another protest that they would face no mercy from the law, adding that such behaviour would not be tolerated in the future.
“This is not a civilized way to deal with a political issue. We know that there was no political statement being made yesterday but just an act of terrorism to instill fear in Kenyans,” he said.
“The President and the Cabinet will do anything possible to make sure that this behaviour is brought to an end. And even those who planned to repeat this act will meet the full force of the law.”
Meanwhile, all toll station services have been temporarily suspended.
