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Mombasa descended into chaos Tuesday, July 2, 2024 as anti-government demonstrations spiraled out of control. Knife-wielding gangs infiltrated the protests, unleashing a wave of violence that left citizens and tourists alike fearing for their safety.
The mayhem unfolded over a six-hour period, marked by looting, stabbings, and property destruction. Despite pleas for help, police reportedly stood by and watched as the gangs ran rampant.
One person was shot in the stomach during an attempt to break into a cafe. While authorities claim a civilian with a gun permit fired the shot, witnesses allege police inaction throughout the ordeal.
Francis Auma, of the Muslim for Human Rights (MUHURI) organization, condemned the violence, accusing the State of orchestrating the chaos. “It is no longer the protests against the government but looting and stabbing by the goons ferried to the CBD,” he stated.
This violence comes on the heels of a court ruling last Friday that temporarily barred police from using excessive force against protestors. Reports suggest that the gangs, allegedly ferried in by a local politician, operated with impunity.
“It is total chaos,” said Auma. “It is no longer the protests against the government but looting and stabbing by the goons ferried to the CBD.”
Mr. Kennedy Ikutwa, who suffered stab wounds on his arms, recounted his harrowing experience to the press. “I lost my phone and shoes to the attackers who also hurt me with a knife. It is like chaos was unleashed on us by the State because the police watched as I was attacked,” he said.
Fearing violence, several bus companies suspended services to and out of Mombasa, leaving students stranded and disrupting the flow of goods.
Meanwhile, Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki condemned the protests and warned against planned protests on Thursday and Sunday. This follows widespread vandalism and violence Tuesday’s protests that erupted in major cities in the country.
Tuesday’s protests raised the death toll so far from anti-Finance Bill 2024 protests to 41, according to a tally of the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights.
“The organizers of today’s (Tuesday) orgy of violence in parts of Nairobi, Mombasa, and several other parts of the country are reportedly planning to repeat their anarchic chaos and cruel plunder again on Thursday and Sunday this week, and perhaps much more frequently in the future,” Kindiki said.
The minister vowed decisive action against those responsible for the violence and assured the public that those found culpable would be held accountable. “Upon completion of the ongoing evidential analysis, the government assures the public that the planners, executors, and financiers of large-scale arson, violent robberies, and other felonious crimes will be brought to justice,” said CS Kindiki.
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