At least 26 vehicles belonging to the Nyandarua County government were torched on Wednesday, June 25, during violent anti-government protests commemorating the first anniversary of the 2024 demonstrations against the Finance Bill.
The attack, which occurred at the Olkalou sub-county offices, also saw 18 government-issued motorcycles and newly procured public address equipment reduced to ashes in a blaze that engulfed part of the county facility. According to county officials, five of the 26 vehicles were completely destroyed and rendered inoperable.
The chaos erupted as part of a nationwide day of action led primarily by Gen Z demonstrators to honour those killed during last year’s deadly protests against the now-withdrawn Finance Bill 2024.
What began as peaceful vigils quickly devolved into violence in Olkalou when protesters clashed with police. Demonstrators reportedly barricaded roads with stones and debris, while police responded with volleys of tear gas to disperse the crowd.
One of the gutted vehicles was a newly acquired truck, a clear sign of the material losses sustained by the county. Images circulated online and by local media show smouldering wrecks and charred debris littering the county yard.
The destruction in Nyandarua is among the most severe incidents of vandalism reported during the June 25 protests, which were marked across the country. Demonstrations unfolded in Nairobi, Mombasa, Kisumu, Nakuru, Eldoret, Kakamega, Narok, Busia, Makueni, Nyeri, Laikipia, Machakos, Homa Bay, and Kirinyaga.
While many protests remained largely peaceful, isolated incidents of looting, property damage, and intense confrontations with police were documented, including in areas like Githurai and Mathare in Nairobi.
Human rights watchdog Amnesty International confirmed that 16 people were killed in connection with Wednesday’s demonstrations. According to Executive Director Houghton Irungu, at least five of those deaths were caused by police shootings. The data was compiled in collaboration with the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR), which had stationed monitors in multiple counties to track violations during the protests.
“By 8:30 p.m. on June 25, we had confirmed 16 protest-related deaths, five of them resulting from police gunfire,” Irungu said.
In Olkalou, the destruction of public property has triggered both outrage and debate. Nyandarua leaders have condemned the acts and called for immediate investigations to bring perpetrators to justice.
“This level of destruction sets back county service delivery by months, if not years. The people of Nyandarua are the ones who will ultimately suffer,” said a senior county official, who requested anonymity.
However, protesters and civil society groups argue that the property destruction should be viewed within a broader context of public frustration and anger over systemic failures, including police brutality, economic hardship, and broken promises by the state.
“People are tired of being ignored. The youth are not just out there to cause chaos; they’re calling for justice that has been denied for far too long,” said a protester in Olkalou, who declined to be named for safety reasons.
The June 25 memorial protests had been planned for weeks by Gen Z-led networks using digital platforms. The day’s events were intended as a remembrance for victims of the 2024 protests, where at least 75 people were confirmed dead, and dozens more disappeared or were maimed.
The protests are likely to intensify pressure on the government, which is already facing scrutiny over economic policies, governance failures, and ongoing human rights concerns. Civil society organisations are demanding immediate accountability for the violence witnessed on June 25, especially regarding the verified deaths and continued use of excessive force by law enforcement.
Meanwhile, the fate of Nyandarua’s destroyed public assets remains uncertain as the county evaluates the full scale of the damage and its implications on service delivery. No official figures have been released regarding the cost of the destruction, but the losses are expected to run into tens of millions of shillings.
