President William Ruto has strongly condemned the June 25 anti-government protests, terming them acts of “economic sabotage” and vowing swift and decisive action against those behind the violence, looting, and destruction that swept across several towns.
Speaking during the International MSMEs Day celebrations on Friday, the President said the protests, led by Gen Z demonstrators, had gravely affected small businesses and traders, leaving a trail of destruction and loss in their wake.
“Even as we celebrate our MSMEs today, we must confront a painful reality,” Ruto said. “I want to express my deepest regret and condemnation for the loss of lives, looting, wanton destruction, and loss of valuable property belonging to our traders who were deliberately targeted by criminal elements during the protests this week.”
While affirming the constitutional right to peaceful protest, Ruto insisted that what transpired on June 25 was not lawful expression but “calculated chaos and deliberate economic sabotage.”
“Shops were looted. Businesses, some built over decades, were burned to the ground. Market stalls destroyed. Warehouses ransacked. Investments worth billions of shillings were wiped out in hours,” he lamented. “It is anarchy dressed in freedom colours. This is disorder disguised as democracy.”
The President posed a series of questions to the public, urging a national reflection on the meaning of freedom and the consequences of lawlessness. “Is this what freedom means? Is it freedom to burn what others have built? Those elements doing this are not fighting for freedom; they are attacking freedom,” he said.
In response, Ruto directed security agencies to act swiftly, instructing the Inspector-General of Police and all relevant bodies to launch immediate investigations, arrest the culprits, and ensure they face the full force of the law.
“I expect immediate, thorough, and speedy investigations. The perpetrators of this violence, looting, and destruction must be identified, unmasked, and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law, swiftly and decisively,” he declared.
President Ruto reaffirmed the government’s unwavering commitment to protecting lives, livelihoods, and upholding the rule of law, warning that the country cannot afford to descend into chaos under the guise of protest.
“This is our country. We must build it, not destroy it,” he concluded.
Written By Rodney Mbua
