In a statement issued on Monday, the DCI stated that its Imaging and Acoustic Unit, housed at the National Forensic Laboratory, had recovered numerous CCTV footages in which several people were caught committing felonious acts under the guise of peaceful protests.
“Whereas some have already been arrested and arraigned in various courts today, more are still out there on the streets waiting for other opportune times to strike again,” the DCI said, urging members of public to help in identifyings suspects caught on CCTV.
“We can flush them from amongst our numbers because they do not share the principles that define what we stand for, and more so for the sake of those who did not deserve to lose their only means of livelihood in this manner.”
Several businesses were looted during the protests, with President Ruto claiming on Sunday that intelligence reports revealed heavy mobilisation goons who raided parliament, with some targeting the armoury and the mausoleum.
President Ruto announced on Wednesday that a bill containing contentious tax hikes would be “withdrawn,” dramatically reversing course after more than 20 people were killed in clashes with police and parliament was ransacked by protesters opposing the legislation.
The initially peaceful demonstrations were sparked last week by the 2024 finance bill — which politicians passed Tuesday afternoon — and took Ruto’s administration by surprise as rallies gathered momentum across the country.
However, the Gen-Z-led protests turned violent on Tuesday, when police fired live bullets at the crowds outside parliament, causing the complex to be ransacked and partially burned.
“I concede and therefore I will not sign the 2024 finance bill and it shall subsequently be withdrawn,” Ruto told a press briefing.
“The people have spoken,” he said.
“I will be proposing an engagement with the young people of our nation, our sons and daughters, for us to listen to them,” he said, in a marked shift from his late-night address Tuesday when he likened some of the demonstrators to “criminals”.
