Saba Saba: How looting of businesses was planned in Mt Kenya

By Newsflash Team

The deadly Saba Saba protests, which left more than 10 people dead and resulted in the destruction of property worth hundreds of millions of shillings, were not entirely spontaneous.

Newsflash investigations can now authoritatively reveal that some of the most violent incidents, especially those targeting businesses in the Mt Kenya region, were part of a premeditated plan orchestrated days in advance.

Multiple credible sources indicate that the attacks were coordinated by a group of goons, many of whom were ferried into strategic towns from outside the Mt Kenya region.

The planning meetings reportedly took place in specific hotels within Kirinyaga County, including the Sagana area, and were led by influential pro-government politicians.

According to one individual who attended some of the clandestine meetings but later opted out, the organizers gave detailed instructions on which businesses were to be attacked.

“The planning was meticulously done and executed. Any business that was attacked was clearly marked out in the planning meetings,” he said.
“It was not any mere coincidence or accident. The attackers had instructions to attack the affected businesses,” he added.

Targeted violence and economic sabotage

In Murang’a County, one of the regions hardest hit by the violence, several business owners say the attacks bore all the hallmarks of an orchestrated operation. Ms Annabel Njambi Wamunyu, the owner of the County Supermarket chain, said that the looters who ransacked and destroyed her outlets were not local residents.

“We have gone at a loss of about Sh200 million because besides normal goods, looters destroyed the shop’s shelves. Our branches which were attacked by the goons are the headquarters (Murang’a), Kabati, Kagio and Kagumo,” she said.
“These attacks were planned. How can the attackers come to Murang’a and attack a specific shop, go to Kabati, Kagio and Kagumo – targeting one shop?”
“At Kagumo, they were initially unable to enter into our shop. However, at dusk, they resurfaced. Are those genuine protests?” she posed.

A supermarket in Kirinyaga County which was left vandalised on Monday, July 7, 2025. Photo/Handout

On Monday evening, two helicopters were reportedly spotted hovering in Murang’a in what locals described as an “unidentified mission,” further fueling suspicion about external coordination.

In Kirinyaga County, Charles Njiru, the proprietor of Nice Digital City Hotel, revealed he lost property worth Sh50 million during the chaos.

“The money used to stock that hotel was from a bank loan. I don’t even know where to begin,” he said.

One of the worst-hit businesses was the Magunas supermarket branch, which was looted and set ablaze in Mwea as anti-riot police were overwhelmed.

The attackers, posing as demonstrators, launched a coordinated raid that included vandalism, theft, and property destruction.

Firefighters, medics also targeted

The violence also obstructed emergency responses. A fire truck dispatched by the Meru County Government to extinguish the Magunas blaze was pelted with stones by protesters after it ran out of water.

Similarly, a Kenya Red Cross vehicle offering first aid was vandalised during the chaos.

The unrest extended beyond Mwea. In Meru Town, a popular entertainment joint, Seven Eleven, was vandalised and looted. Goons also poured into the Makutano area in large numbers, further disrupting operations and frustrating emergency services.

Demonstrators assemble to obstruct a major road using burning barricades and urban debris during the Saba Saba Day protests in Nairobi on July 7, 2025. [AFP]

In Kirinyaga, Nice Supermarket suffered a similar fate, with its storefront pelted by boulders. Nakuru County also saw an attempted break-in at a supermarket, though police acted quickly to prevent theft.

In Nairobi, a heavier security presence helped minimize cases of looting in the CBD and surrounding areas. However, in suburban towns like Kitengela, violent demonstrations led to road blockades and attacks on local businesses.

Imported violence

Emerging reports now suggest that many of the demonstrators in Mt Kenya’s central counties were not local residents.

Sources close to the security apparatus indicate that the goons were ferried into towns like Kagumo and Mwea in Kirinyaga, as well as Kiambu Town, Kangare, and Kabati in Murang’a the night before the protests.

The movement is said to have been coordinated to avoid police roadblocks and was allegedly spearheaded by a senior government advisor. The target areas, notably, are regions where former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua enjoys significant grassroots support.

Insiders suggest that beyond causing destruction, the hired thugs were given orders to loot, provoke law enforcement, and create a hostile atmosphere that would pit the Gen Z-led protest movement against the local business community.

This, sources claim, was aimed at undermining unity in the region and shaping public perception ahead of the 2027 general elections.

“The plot was not just economic sabotage. It was political messaging. The aim was to paint Mt Kenya as unstable and violent — and to drive a wedge between the youth and business owners,” said a senior political analyst who requested anonymity.

Politicians trade blame

When reached for comment, politicians from both sides of the political divide in Mt Kenya traded accusations.

Pro-government MPs accused the Opposition of infiltrating protests to destabilize the region and damage the economy, while Opposition-leaning leaders blamed the government for hiring goons to justify a brutal crackdown on legitimate demonstrators.

“The truth must come out. These were not ordinary protests. This was planned chaos,” said one Murang’a MP.

Another lawmaker from Kiambu added: “If we allow such tactics to go unchallenged, we are setting a dangerous precedent for political violence in this country.”