Deputy President Kithure Kindiki has issued a firm warning to individuals behind recent attacks on police stations and government installations, declaring that such actions threaten Kenya’s national stability and will be met with the full force of the law.
Speaking on Friday during an empowerment event for women, youth, and small-scale traders in Kanyange, Kitui Rural constituency, Kindiki condemned the violent turn of Wednesday’s protests, which saw looting, destruction of property, and targeted assaults on state institutions.
“If you are involved in these criminal and terror activities, we are coming for you,” Kindiki said. “We will not wait for you to cause more deaths and destruction. We will come for you the way we have done with Al Shabaab terrorists.”
The Deputy President maintained that while the Gen Z-led protests initially focused on noble causes such as transparency, accountability, and youth empowerment, they have since been hijacked by criminal elements. These groups, he claimed, are using the demonstrations as a cover to instigate chaos and attack security installations.
“This is no longer a laughing matter. We won’t allow any attempt to destroy the security and stability of Kenya. We are willing to become unpopular politically but save the future of this country,” Kindiki declared.
He referenced Kenya’s turbulent past, including the 1982 attempted coup and the 2007/08 post-election violence, warning that the cost of instability is too high to be ignored. “We would not allow the nation to go down that route again,” he said.
Kindiki assured the public that the government remains committed to upholding the Constitution, including the protection of the right to peaceful protest and free speech. However, he stressed that these freedoms do not include the right to violence or attacks on national security organs.
“We won’t interfere with constitutional freedoms, but we cannot allow anyone to loot, destroy, or steal firearms in the name of protest,” he stated. “The state will act to defend the country’s peace, security, and future.”
