Embu Governor Martin Wambora's restaurant, Country View Hotel located in downtown Embu was raided by angry residents on Thursday, March 12.
Speaking to Kenyans.co.ke, Anthony, a taxi driver in Embu town informed that the anger had been generated by an incident in which unknown people killed a watchman to the town's Marigiti Market stores and set it on fire.
"Demonstrations have been ongoing since morning, traders are angry because they have lost a lot of property and the governor has been unable to offer any solution," Anthony stated.
"During demonstrations, people have different intentions, and because not obviously everyone is a trader, others take advantage of the chaos to vandalise businesses. So that is when they looted the governor's hotel in downtown," he added.
The angry residents broke the restaurant's windows and made away with items of an unknown value, some even drinking stocked beer.
Governor Wambora was attacked at Marigiti market when he sought to address the traders whose shops had been gutted by the inferno. The irate merchants pelted the governor's car with stones.
Kenyans.co.ke learnt that as of 2 pm the demonstrations were still ongoing and that the fire was yet to be contained.
The traders expressed their anger at the governor after the county's fire engines turned out to be faulty. The chaos escalated when Governor Wambora failed to explain why the engines were unserviced.
The county dispatched anti-riot police to try and contain the protests. Embu town MCA Morris Nyaga popularly known as Collo's effort to calm the traders was in vain as they hurled stones at the governor's motorcade.
A trader who spoke to Kenyans.co.ke alleged that the fire was being used as a vehicle by officials within the county to renovate then award the stalls and stores to the highest bidders.
The protests have paralysed transport along the Embu-Meru route with resident blocking the main highway.
Victoria Rubadiri to Leave Citizen TV Developing Story
