President William Ruto on Saturday ordered a nationwide crackdown on “mobilisers and goons” behind the destruction of property during Wednesday’s protests.
He also wants Parliament to pass a law to regulate demonstrations so as to “balance the constitutional right to assembly with public order and safety”.
For his part, Deputy President Kithure Kindiki vowed that the government would “go after all the criminals”. And Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen together with Inspector-General of Police Douglas Kanja said decisive action will be taken.
Already, at least 27 suspects have been arrested. Their photos have been published online by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI). Most of them are accused of arson.
A statement by Mr Murkomen, a day after the protests, stated that at least nine police stations were attacked — five were torched — while 88 vehicles were destroyed.
The CS said 27 national and county government vehicles were damaged, 65 others belonging to civilians — which had been parked in police stations — were burnt. A school bus was among them.
“Five firearms were stolen in Dagoretti Police Post, Kiambu County, while four were burnt at Gachui Police Post by the very criminals who hid behind the pretence of a peaceful protest,” Mr Murkomen stated.
During a high-level meeting with security bosses at State House in Nairobi on Saturday, President Ruto rallied the police to stand their ground.
“We cannot have a country where criminals are running after police officers,” Dr Ruto said.
“If the life of a police officer is in danger, then whose life is safe? This trend must change. The criminals that attacked our officers and destroyed property in the Wednesday mayhem will be held to account,” the President vowed. “If those behind the riots that led to looting and destruction of people’s property are not arrested and prosecuted, we will be breeding impunity.”
Ruto: We cannot have a country where criminals are chasing after police
Mr Murkomen, Interior Principal Secretary Raymond Omollo, IG Kanja, Director of Criminal Investigations Mohammed Amin and Deputy Inspector-General Gilbert Masengeli met with the President. County, regional and national security chiefs were also were present.
Dr Ruto made a case for a new law on protests. He said that while Article 37 of the Constitution guarantees the right to assemble, demonstrate, picket, and petition, this can be regulated to ensure the rights of others are respected to maintain peace.
He proposed that the legislation should provide a framework for identifying the organisers, venue of demonstrations and the specific time of demonstrations as well as address potential public safety concerns.
“We want a situation where the organisers can present their petitions, state their reasons for the demonstration, where it will be held, and at what time,” he said.
Prof Kindiki, speaking in Kitui County, said that while the government will not curtail the freedoms of Kenyans guaranteed in the Constitution, rights of others have to be protected.
“We will not allow the country to slide into anarchy and lawlessness. We will not accept our people to be at the mercy of criminals looting businesses, raping women, burning courts, police stations in the pretext of exercising their rights,” said the DP.
President William Ruto with Inspector-General of Police Douglas Kanja when he hosted regional and county security and National Government administration officers at State House, Nairobi, on June 28, 2025.
Photo credit: PCS
“We will go after all the criminals who were incited to attack people, assault women, loot businesses, and destroy the nation’s infrastructure. All will be apprehended and will face the law,” he added.
IG Kanja has instructed police station commanders and their DCI counterparts to investigate all the crimes that occurred in their areas during the protests. He said that those found culpable will be prosecuted.
Station commanders have also been directed to gather intelligence reports that will assist the police in finding the “funders of violence”.
National Police Service Spokesperson Muchiri Nyaga told Sunday Nation that, so far, officers had managed to arrest a number of youths in connection with looting and vandalism.
He said the police have also recovered two firearms that were stolen from Kikuyu Police Station. Protesters stormed the station and set it ablaze. During the raid, several firearms were reported stolen.
“We have managed to recover two of the stolen guns and we have suspects in police custody,” Mr Muchiri said on the phone.
DCI officers in areas where incidences of looting and arson took place have been told to find the culprits.
So far, Sunday Nation has established that DCI investigators are analysing CCTV footage from various businesses in Nairobi. This is after business owners sought the help of the police to catch the people who raided their premises.
Police chiefs at station and division levels have been directed to liaise with DCI headquarters for forensic analysis to help find the criminals.
On Friday, detectives from Nyandarua identified five youths who were caught on camera setting county government offices in Ol Kalou on fire.
Other cases that DCI sleuths are probing are complaints of mobile phone theft reported by people who were not part of the demonstrations.
In Nairobi alone, 20 cases of phone theft were reported, according to data by the police.
But the arrest of suspects has sparked controversy in some quarters. The government has been accused of using intimidation tactics to muzzle dissent.
“We demand a stop to the arbitrary arrest[s]. Unlawful detention of grassroots organisers is not going to stop the revolution that is coming. The use of police to spread fear, intimidate veteran community organisers and human rights defenders is only going to enrage the masses further; this next generation that you are so afraid of,” Kongamano la Mapinduzi, a civil society group, posted on its X account.
President William Ruto and regional and county security and National Government Administration officers at State House in Nairobi County on June 28, 2025.
Photo credit: PCS
Rights activists John Mulingwa Nzau — who is the Secretary-General of Ukweli Party — Mr Mark Amiani, and Mr Francis Mutunge Mwangi are among the latest people to be arrested are. They were seized on Friday on board a Mombasa-bound bus and are being held at Muthaiga Police Station. They are expected to appear in court tomorrow.
The DCI said that 25 of the 27 arrests were linked specifically to the torching of the Kikuyu Law Courts, sub-county offices, and the destruction of government and private vehicles. Tractors and tuk tuks were also damaged.
Elsewhere, President Ruto pledged an aggressive shift in security operations and policy.
“We have to agree that things must change — for us as government, for the security agencies, and for citizens. It cannot be business as usual,” he said during an event where newly appointed Kenya Army and Kenya Air Force commanders were installed.
“I want to tell every police officer who wakes up early and puts their life on the line to secure our children, our families and our nation that as you do that we are equally obligated to make sure that you are secure,” he said.
