Leaders from Mbeere South Constituency, Embu County, have condemned destruction of property and disruption of businesses that took place during demonstrations on Thursday at Kiritiri Town.
The demos were organised by traders who were protesting what they termed as unfulfilled promises by the County Government in terms of development projects.
They argued that they have been discriminated against by Governor Cecily Mbarire-led administration in matters of development yet they generate a huge chunk of revenue for the county.
What started as peaceful demonstrations, turned chaotic prompting anti-riot police to step in to restore order, but were overwhelmed leading to destruction of property including constituency NG-CDF offices and Land Cruiser that were pelted with stones.
The traders however distanced themselves from the chaos, saying their peaceful demonstrations were infiltrated by goons who carried out the destruction with the aim of looting.
Led by Senator Alexander Mundigi, the leaders said though it was their constitutional right to demonstrate, invading and destroying property or disrupting other people’s lives was illegal.
“The right to demonstrate must be exercised within the boundaries that respects the rights of others,” Senator Mundigi said on Friday when he attended a funeral service in the area.
He reminded Embu people what transpired during the anti-finance bill protests last year that saw massive destruction of property including the Governor’s offices that were torched and yet to be repaired.
“We must be careful that we do end up destroying what has taken us years to build in the name of demonstrations,” he said.
County Assembly Minority Leader and area (Mavuria Ward) MCA Ngari Mbaka admonished the demonstrators for turning a justifiable cause of clamor for development into mayhem.
He appealed to locals to make use of their elected leaders or representatives to channel their grievances to the relevant authorities instead of resulting in protests that mostly end up turning destructive.
However, Kiritiri Livestock Wholesalers Chair Joseph Murithi who said their peaceful demonstrations were hijacked by looters insisted that they resulted in protests after the County Government failed to give them a listening ear.
By Samuel Waititu