Nairobi Businesses Hit Hard as Protest Chaos Leaves Trail of Looting and Loss
NAIROBI — Business owners in central Nairobi are reeling from heavy financial losses after Wednesday’s Gen Z-led protests spiraled into looting and destruction, with shops along major city streets ransacked and burned.
Shops on Tom Mboya Street, Moi Avenue, Kirinyaga Road, Outer Ring Road, and River Road were among the worst affected as groups broke into stores, stealing goods worth millions of shillings during the unrest.
David Kimani, who runs a phone repair shop at Mithoo House on River Road, said his entire inventory was looted. “They took everything phones, accessories, even customer devices. I don’t know how to restart,” Kimani said.
According to Kimani, there was no police response during the attack. He said looters operated freely, emptying the store in broad daylight.
This is the second time Kimani’s business has collapsed due to urban violence. In 2019, he lost his first outlet in a fire at the Sanford Building. He never recovered insurance compensation and, like many small traders, now operates without coverage.
“I didn’t insure the shop. The process was too complicated and expensive,” he said.
Kenya’s business insurance uptake remains low. According to the Insurance Regulatory Authority (IRA), the country’s insurance penetration stands at 2.4 percent—ranking fourth in Africa but far behind South Africa’s 12 percent.
In Koja, Watencia Muthoni lost over Sh3.2 million worth of stock from her clothing store. Her shelves were emptied in hours, and she now faces the possibility of permanent closure.
“I can’t afford to restock. Starting again means finding capital I don’t have,” she said.
A Bata store along Outer Ring Road in the Pipeline area was also looted. Witnesses said school shoes and branded merchandise were carried away as protesters clashed with police nearby.
Though the protest began as a peaceful demonstration commemorating last year’s anti-finance bill deaths, tensions escalated as crowds grew and police presence thinned. Opportunistic looters broke into vulnerable businesses as tear gas filled the streets.
By nightfall, smoke was visible above parts of Nairobi’s downtown. Fire crews responded to multiple calls as small fires broke out in commercial buildings.
For traders like Kimani and Muthoni, the damage goes beyond inventory. Their livelihoods now hang in limbo.
“It’s not just the goods they took our future,” Muthoni said.
Authorities have not released an official statement on the extent of damage. Business owners are calling for compensation and stronger protection during public demonstrations.
Without relief or support, many fear they may not recover.
“I need help,” Kimani said. “If I don’t get support, this is the end of my business.”
