Saba Saba Day protests in Meru County descended into unfortunate scenes of vandalism as a renowned supermarket was razed to the ground by protesters.
The supermarket, belonging to the Magunas chain, was invaded by goons and set ablaze as protesters overpowered anti-riot police in the area.
Reports reaching Kenyans.co.ke indicate that goons masquerading as protesters went on a vandalism spree on Monday, July 7, targeting specific businesses.
Besides Magunas Supermarket, a popular club in Meru Town known as Seven Eleven was also vandalised and some of its facilities were stolen by goons.
Further reports indicate that the goons specifically flocked to the Makutano area in Meru in large numbers, subsequently frustrating efforts by essential service providers to restore normalcy.
Notably, a fire truck belonging to the Meru County government, which was deployed to contain the supermarket fire, was pelted with stones from protesters, who descended on it once it ran out of its water supply.
A Kenya Red Cross vehicle, which was on-site to offer first aid to injured civilians in Makutano, was also vandalised during the melee.
The Magunas incident was arguably the worst case of a business raid from the protests on Monday, although there were other similar incidents reported in other counties.
In Kirinyaga, a retail store known as Nice Supermarket had its owners counting losses after protesters pelted display windows with boulders.
A similar incident was reported in Nakuru County, where protesters broke into a supermarket, presumably with the intention of stealing, but police responded on time.
In Nairobi, there was a heavier police presence in the CBD and its environs, with cases of vandalism and looting at a minimum in these areas.
However, in areas like Kitengela, protests descended into running battles between police and demonstrators, who blocked roads and attacked businesses in town.
