Interior and National Administration Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen described the June 25 protests as an attempted coup carried out by hired criminals.
Speaking to the press on Thursday afternoon after assessing the situation in Nairobi’s Central Business District, Murkomen claimed the protests were acts of terrorism masked as public dissent, with their financiers allegedly plotting to destabilize President William Ruto’s administration.
“There was no peaceful demonstration. It was riots, chaos, and anarchy,” Murkomen stated. “We condemn the criminal anarchists who in the name of peaceful demonstrations, unleashed a wave of violence, looting, sexual assault and destruction upon our people.”
He insisted that the violence was pre-planned and intended to subvert national stability, with more than 10 people losing their lives.
“That was not a protest; it was an unconstitutional attempt to change the regime of this republic, and yesterday the police tried to foil an attempted coup,” he added.
‘Armed Criminals Looted Police Stations, Burned Homes of Pro-Government MPs’
CS Murkomen revealed that the hired criminals behind the June 25 protests specifically targeted police officers, aiming to seize firearms from armouries and steal police uniforms. He confirmed that in Kiambu County, crooks took guns from two police stations.
Murkomen also said some government spots including courts and admin offices were robbed and burned in the mess.
“The criminals targeted kiosks, supermarkets, electronic shops, hotels and restaurants,” he said. “Business and residential premises were burnt, including one owned by the Catholic Church in Embu County.”
At the same time, Murkomen spoke of attacks on property owned by government allies. He pointed out attempted destruction on homes and shops of Kikuyu MP Kimani Ichung’wah and Molo MP Kimani Kuria during the protests.
According to Murkomen, the unrest was not spontaneous but rather, a well-orchestrated, heavily funded, and politically motivated revolt.
He said that the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) has launched investigations to find the people behind the protests.
“Rest assured that the Government will pursue justice relentlessly on behalf of all affected Kenyans,” Murkomen vowed. “No person will be spared, regardless of their political or financial status.”
