Cabinet Secretary for Investments, Trade, and Industry, Lee Kinyanjui, has condemned the violence and destruction witnessed during Monday’s Saba Saba demonstrations, warning that the unrest is severely undermining Kenya’s economy and efforts to create jobs.
Speaking in the wake of widespread protests held across major towns, CS Kinyanjui said the demonstrations, which turned chaotic, had left a trail of devastation affecting thousands of livelihoods. “As the smoke settles, the extent of the damage and loss of life is becoming clear. Billions have been lost, and many lives disrupted, some forever. An abomination has visited the land,” he said in a strongly worded statement.
Kinyanjui lamented the rampant vandalism, looting, and arson attacks targeting small businesses—many of which he described as the backbone of Kenya’s economy. “My heart bleeds for the many businesses that were vandalized, looted, and burned down. Thousands now have no place to report to work or sell their wares. This is both defeatist and retrogressive,” he added.
Emphasizing the toll on employment, the Trade CS stressed that protests meant to highlight the cost of living crisis are instead compounding the very issues they seek to address. “We cannot sacrifice our businesses and terminate jobs to protest the cost of living, doing so only worsens the problem,” he said. “We have added more people to the jobless bench.”
In his message to the public, Kinyanjui urged peaceful dialogue and collective responsibility, saying, “Anarchy is not the panacea to the challenges our society faces. We can and must do better than this.”
The Saba Saba protests, organized by opposition groups and civil society activists, were intended to demand economic reforms and government accountability. However, the day was marred by violent clashes, looting, and significant property damage, raising fresh concerns about Kenya’s fragile economic recovery and social stability.
Written By Rodney Mbua
