Saba Saba Protests: Nice Digital City Owner Discloses He Lost Goods Worth KSh 50m
- Charles Njiru Mkombozi, the owner of Nice Digital City, narrated how goons invaded his property and looted goods
- The Kirinyaga tycoon explained how Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja came to his rescue after the protesters overwhelmed local officers
- Mkombozi disclosed how he built the premises and indicated the number of young people who lost their jobs
TUKO.co.ke journalist Japhet Ruto has over eight years of experience in financial, business, and technology reporting and offers deep insights into Kenyan and global economic trends.
Charles Njiru Mkombozi, the owner of Nice Digital City, has described how he lost goods valued at millions of shillings during the Saba Saba protests.
Source: Twitter
The tycoon revealed he could have lost more if Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja had not come to his rescue.
Mkombozi's business premises in Mwea, Kirinyaga county, suffered rampant looting and destruction as goons invaded the property.
The property, which houses a hotel and a store, was among the most damaged in the county when angry demonstrators overran it, and police had to use tear gas to try to separate the rowdy mob.
How much did Charles Mkombozi lose?
The once-thriving establishment was left in ruins as a result of the looting. Millions of shillings' worth of goods were robbed, but unlike other buildings, it was not set on fire.
Videos that have gone viral online show the supermarket's smashed glass and bare shelves, illustrating the depth of the damage.
Mkombozi revealed he lost approximately KSh 50 million in the melee.
"Hired goons stormed the property in a violent attack. Although they were not many, reports suggest they had held secret meetings at undisclosed locations beforehand. They arrived around 9am, broke windows and doors, and engaged in intense back-and-forth battles with the police for nearly two hours," he narrated, as reported by NTV.
He noted that an additional contingent of officers was deployed as reinforcement at approximately 11am.
However, he said the unit, consisting of roughly 100 officers, was overrun and ran out of bullets and tear gas.
"Property valued at over KSh 50 million was stolen and destroyed, all of which was financed through bank loans. More than 1,000 young people were employed here, but now they are left without jobs," he said.
How did IG Kanja rescue Mkombozi?
After the original contingent of officers was overwhelmed, the businessman disclosed that IG Kanja helped him by ordering the deployment of General Service Unit (GSU) officers from Nairobi.
He revealed that the business was built with a bank loan.
"Nice Digital City was saved by IG Kanja. From Nairobi, he dispatched a special GU team. When the roughly 100 GSU officers he dispatched arrived, the looters fled in fear. Nice Digital City would not exist today if it weren't for IG Kanja," he explained.
Source: Twitter
Were Nairobi traders affected?
In related news, protests by Generation Z in Nairobi descended into chaos as armed thugs vandalised goods worth millions.
Susan Wanjiku Irungu, who operates a mobile phone shop along Moi Avenue, disclosed she lost KSh 2 million.
Another trader, Yvonne Otieno, disclosed that thieves broke into he boutique and stole everything.
Proofreading by Mercy Nyambura, copy editor at TUKO.co.ke.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
