Meru Business Community Vow To Protect Property From Destruction During Demonstrations

By Dennis Dibondo

Meru business community have vowed to protect their businesses from criminals who take advantage of demos to loot and destroy property.

The businessmen and women said they would take ‘measures’ to protect their businesses.

Led by  Kenya National Chamber of Commerce Meru Branch Chairman Joshua Mungania they said they will not allow their property to be destroyed again by demonstrators they comes after Magunas supermarket was burned down, Bei Sawa supermarket and Selenite supermarket vandalized and looted.

“The business community kept quiet after some businesses were attacked during  the June 25 demonstrations last month. On Saba Saba many businessmen closed shops and ran away leaving their shops to be attacked by a few people. I urge businessmen this time around they should stand firm and have their workers and themselves guarding their property,” he said.

Mungania said  Meru county lost more than one billion on Saba Saba demonstrations alone.

He said many businesses have at least five workers and they should start security by guarding their property and work with the police.

“We want our police to pick more CCTV footage so that we can have more people arrested,” he said.

Mungania said some goons were paid by some of the politicians to cause destructions.

He spoke yesterday when they handed over a petition to County Commissioner Jacob Ouma at his office in Meru.

Mungania said the national and county government should look for an emergency fund to compensate the businessmen and women whose property was destroyed.

Meru Deputy Governor Linda Kiome said last week they were conducting a peace caravan to urge residents to embrace peaceful demonstrations.

“We will stand with the business owners and we want to say the Meru community is not known for fear so a few people will not let our county perish and we will deal with a few criminal elements we will not allow economic sabotage,” Kiome said.

She said the county government will prioritize training youths in technical skills to be able to create jobs for themselves.

North Imenti MP Rahim Dawood blamed the opposition led by Rigathi Gachagua for orchestrating the attacks he said they wanted to punish Meru because a fortnight ago President William Ruto visited the area and was received well.

Dawood said many of the demonstrators that destroy property are students of local colleges, TVET and Universities.

“We need the main financiers not the goons who are paid to cause destructions,” Dawood said.

Municipality MCA Caleb Mutethia said that youths should not accept to be used by politicians to destroy businesses employing  their fellow youth.

“Those are not just demonstrators they are economic saboteurs and  terrorists and terrorists,” Mutethia said.