A part of the complex that was left in disarray by goons on June 7, 2025The proprietor of Nice Digital Mwea, Njiru Mkombozi, has revealed that goons caused damages worth Sh50 million after breaking into his business premises in Ngurubani, Kirinyaga County.
Mkombozi said the youths arrived at
the premises around 9:00 a.m. and began by breaking windows and doors before
being repelled by police officers.
The attackers engaged the police in
running battles for nearly two hours and eventually overpowered them at 11:00
a.m., forcing their way into Nice Supermarket and looting various items. Others
stormed one of the three hotels on the premises.
“They were so many and they were
very violent. Police officers exhausted all the tear gas they had and were
chased away. That’s when the youths accessed my businesses,” Mkombozi said.
Inside the hotel, the attackers
helped themselves to goat meat, chicken, beef, and other meals that had been
prepared.
They remained there for a while
until a special police squad was dispatched from Nairobi to stop them from
accessing the remaining two hotels on the premises.
When the reinforcement arrived, the
youths fled, leaving behind a trail of destruction. The police secured the
premises and kept guard overnight.
“Were it not for the special squad,
my entire business worth around Sh2 billion would have gone up in flames,” he
added.
The destruction has left over 1,000
employees unable to report to work.
Mkombozi, who recently acquired a
Sh50 million loan to restock his business, said he will now be forced to seek
more funds for repairs and to restart operations.
He called on fellow traders to unite
and find ways to protect their investments during nationwide protests, warning
that such losses could lead to poverty.
“This business employs people from
the local community. Why destroy it?” he asked.
“I was once a village boy myself.
You don’t need to steal to succeed.”
So far, police have arrested 30
suspects in connection with the attack. They are expected to be charged with
robbery with violence.
Mkombozi also suggested that
business rivalry could have been a factor in the attack, accusing competitors
of using criminal tactics to bring down others.
Tebere MCA Peter Karinga condemned
the incident, noting that most of the attackers were from outside the area. He
warned that traders would not hesitate to protect their premises in future.
“As the Ngurubani community, we now
know these protests are not genuine. We will deal with goons. We will not allow
this to happen again,” he said.
