Kagwe: NCPB lost Sh30m fertiliser to protesters
Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe.
More than 7,300 bags of fertiliser valued at Sh29.5 million were looted from the National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) depot in Maua, Meru County, during the Wednesday Gen Z protests, Agriculture and Livestock Development Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe has said.
The store was also vandalised in the raid that lasted about two hours.
In a statement to the media, Mr Kagwe condemned the incident and called on the police to ensure the suspects are brought to book.
Preliminary assessments show that over 7,354 bags of fertiliser, each weighing 50kg and valued at over Sh29.5 million, were looted from the depot. The fertiliser is a vital input for farmers across the region. Its loss threatens food and cash crop production.
He added that an attack on the NCPB depot “was a direct assault on Kenya’s food security”.
"We must never confuse democratic rights with anarchy. Peaceful demonstrations are being hijacked by criminals. Those who rob, destroy, and loot critical public installations such as the NCPB are not demonstrators, they are criminals and anarchists, and they must be treated as such," CS Kagwe stated.
As at Friday, the police were still hunting for the suspects who looted the bags of fertiliser and ferried them on motorcycles as protests intensified on Wednesday.
Also vandalised was the Igembe South National Government Constituency Development Fund (NG-CDF) office and some business premises.
In Meru town, some businesses lost millions of shillings after gangs raided and vandalised a supermarket and restaurants.
Looters emptied Bei Sawa Supermarket in Makutano, making away with all the stock and computers. Two buildings belonging to North Imenti MP Rahim Dawood as well as the Meru Teachers Training College gate were also targeted.
Imenti North Police Commander Ambrose Kyalo said 24 suspects were arrested in connection with the supermarket theft.
“The suspects were caught in the act. All suspects were captured on the supermarket CCTV and will be pursued. Anyone who looted property from the supermarket should return them before we get them,” Mr Kyalo said.
He noted that no civilian or police officer was injured during the June 25 protests.