Determined Not to Relive the Nightmare: Eldoret Businesses Tighten Security as Protest Memories Resurface
Others chose to temporarily close their premises, fearing that commemorative protests could once again attract criminal elements intent on causing destruction.
Security deployment in Eldoret city during previous protests. Photo: Courtesy.
By Robert Mutasi
As Kenya marked the second anniversary of the historic Gen Z protests that shook the country in June 2024, many business owners in Eldoret spent the day looking over their shoulders.
The scars left by the destructive demonstrations remain deeply etched in the memories of traders who lost millions of shillings worth of property when protests against the Finance Bill turned violent and descended into widespread looting and arson.
This year, however, the city’s business community was determined not to be caught unprepared.
Across Eldoret’s Central Business District, traders reinforced doors and windows with stronger steel grills, upgraded surveillance systems and stationed private security guards at strategic locations. Others chose to temporarily close their premises, fearing that commemorative protests could once again attract criminal elements intent on causing destruction.
For many, these precautions were not driven by speculation but by painful experience.
“We do not want a repeat of what happened in 2024 when businesses suffered huge losses after demonstrations turned violent,” said Joshua Maina, a trader in Eldoret’s CBD.
The heightened caution transformed the usually lively city into a tense environment marked by visible security patrols and reduced commercial activity. Streets that would ordinarily be bustling with customers and hawkers appeared unusually quiet as business owners adopted a wait-and-see approach.
Along the busy Eldoret-Uganda highway, police officers maintained a strong presence throughout the day. Security personnel manned strategic points, conducted spot checks and operated roadblocks as part of a wider operation aimed at preserving law and order.
Uasin Gishu County Commissioner Edison Nyale said authorities had taken extensive measures to prevent any disruption.
“We cannot take chances. Security has been enhanced around government premises, residential areas and the CBD. Adequate personnel have been deployed to deal with any acts of lawlessness,” he said.
The visible security deployment offered some reassurance to traders who feared a recurrence of the violence that devastated parts of the city two years ago.
Traffic volumes entering and leaving Eldoret were noticeably lower than normal. Several businesses remained closed for part of the day, while many street vendors who usually line major roads stayed away altogether.
At Eldoret Main Retail Market, trader Mary Too said many business owners preferred caution over risking another financial setback.
“Although the situation remains calm, we are taking all necessary precautions to avoid suffering losses similar to those experienced on June 25, 2024,” she said.
Authorities also intensified security checks at entry points into the city to screen vehicles and monitor movement.
“There is smooth traffic flow in and out of the city, and measures have been put in place to facilitate normal operations,” Dr Nyale added.
The apprehension among traders is rooted in one of the darkest chapters in Eldoret’s recent history.
During the June 2024 protests, demonstrations that began as opposition to the Finance Bill escalated into violence that left a trail of destruction across the city. Public institutions, private businesses and vehicles were targeted by rioters and looters.
Several buildings were reduced to rubble and ashes, including two major nightclubs and restaurants, the Municipal Court and a number of vehicles. The Kenya National Library branch and the Geminia Insurance Company building were also destroyed during the unrest.
For individual entrepreneurs, the losses were devastating.
HL Chemist and Mobile Phones Store proprietor Morgan Kipkoech lost merchandise worth about Sh10 million after his premises were broken into and looted.
Shoe dealer David Wakaimba suffered losses estimated at Sh100 million after stock at his Rugendo Bata outlet was stolen.
The owner of Baniyas Square Club and Restaurant also endured losses exceeding Sh40 million after looters carted away television sets, public address systems, alcoholic beverages and other valuables.
For many affected traders, rebuilding their businesses required years of sacrifice, borrowing and reinvestment. Some were forced to spend millions more on stronger security systems to safeguard what remained of their livelihoods.
On Thursday, anti-riot police officers patrolled the city centre while security teams maintained watch over strategic facilities and business zones.
Security was particularly tight around the Uasin Gishu County headquarters, one of the sites targeted during the 2024 unrest when demonstrators stormed the compound, set the Municipal Court ablaze and vandalised government property.
Although the anniversary passed without major incidents, the reinforced storefronts, guarded entrances and heavy police presence told a powerful story of a city still recovering from past wounds.
For Eldoret’s business community, protecting their investments has become more than a precaution. It is a lesson learned through painful experience and a determination never to relive the losses that turned thriving enterprises into ashes almost overnight.
About Author
