These events, which began peacefully, erupted into violence, looting, and destruction in the city center.
On July 2, what started as a peaceful demonstration in Nairobi’s Central Business District (CBD) escalated dramatically.
According to reports, the protests were infiltrated by a group of around 50 individuals armed with batons.
These individuals, commonly referred to as "goons," were allegedly sent by six Nairobi politicians and two Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) to disrupt the protests.
The hired group gathered early in the morning at City Hall, where they were given batons and an initial payment. Their task was to incite violence and target businesses.
The situation soon became chaotic, with the goons engaging in running battles with anti-riot police and causing widespread property damage.
Businesses across various parts of the CBD suffered significant losses due to the looting.
The goons later voiced their frustration, claiming their sponsors had failed to pay the full amount promised.
Despite completing their assigned task, they found their calls to the politicians and NGOs were ignored. "We were asked to arrive at the City Hall very early in the morning.
All 50 of us were given batons. We accepted and destroyed businesses as requested. Right now, you are not picking up our calls.
Why are you doing this to us? Whatever you gave us in the morning was a down payment. You will have to pay us! We do not want jokes," said one of the hired individuals.
The allegations have sparked outrage among the public and further scrutiny of the political figures involved.
Despite some politicians denying any involvement in hiring the goons, the accusations have added fuel to the fire of an already tense situation.