Businesses reeling: Nairobi faces massive losses after June 25 memorial unrest

A street light lies across the road after it was destroyed during protests in Nairobi on June 25, 2025. (Barack Oduor, Standard)

By Barack Oduor
Friday, June 27, 2025

Along Moi Avenue and Loita Street, massive flower vases that the city management had used to beautify the city were either broken or turned upside down.

It's sneezing and coughing as you walk in the streets of Nairobi, following traces of tear gas that police used to quell protests that grew chaotic and destructive on Wednesday.

The city's Central Business District looks desolate, with basic road and street infrastructure destroyed.

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When The Eastleigh Voice surveyed major streets and roads within the city on Friday, almost no traffic lights were functional. Many street lights were also uprooted by angry protesters who used them as barricades against police vehicles before they were taken away to scrap metal dealers.

Along streets such as Kimathi Street, Moi Avenue, Tom Mboya Street and even Kenyatta Avenue, pedestrians have difficulty crossing the road as no motorists are slowing down for them because there are no traffic lights for signalling.

Along Moi Avenue and Loita Street, massive flower vases that the city management had used to beautify the city were either broken or turned upside down.

Although Governor Johnson Sakaja has not announced the cost of restoring the city to normalcy, it was evident from the residents' estimation that the county government will dig deep into its pockets to repair the damage that was done.

Newspaper vendor Caleb Onyancha said the destruction will greatly affect motorists since most street naming signage and street lights were destroyed.

A burnt city clock at the Uhuru Highway roundabout near Uhuru Park. (Photo: Barack Oduor)

"It will indeed cost a lot to restore back the city to where it was before the protests. There were criminals who took advantage of the protests to uproot any standing metallic object so that they could go sell them to scrap metal merchants," said Onyancha.

Sakaja's administration is feeling the pain of the protests as the wanton destruction comes even as the city is installing new dustbins and improving street pavements using cabros.

A fortnight ago, following the eruption of protests against teacher and blogger Albert Ojwang's killing, Sakaja warned that those who were involved in the destruction of infrastructure within the city during the protests shall be apprehended.

The governor claimed that investigations by security agencies have already uncovered who vandalised county infrastructure and other properties across the city during demonstrations.

According to Sakaja, the individuals, whom he labelled as 'criminals,' who masqueraded as protesters and destroyed the recently installed lighting and sanitation infrastructure, eclipsed the original motive of the demonstrations, which was to protest the recent death of Albert Ojwang, who died in police custody on Sunday, June 8.

"The Constitution allows peaceful demonstrations, not violence. We must protect our businesses. What happened will not be allowed to happen again,” he added.

According to Umoja One MCA, Ronald Mugambi, the destruction of property during demonstrations undermined the solid infrastructural progress the country's capital has engineered over the years.

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“Don’t destroy what has taken us years to build. We will not allow this to continue - people losing their businesses and infrastructure being vandalised. Next time they try, we will ensure the law takes its course,” the MCA said.

Flower vases used by protesters to block Loita Street. (Photo: Barack Oduor)

Speaking when the installation kicked off in May, Nairobi County Chief Officer for Environment, Mosiria, stated that the bins were put in place to serve pedestrians after the previously installed ones were stolen.

Along Moi Avenue, the county government had installed modern street lighting systems, which Sakaja said could be fundamental in enhancing the visibility, security, and ambience of the city.

After their installation, the county had issued stern warnings to both city dwellers and hawkers against destroying them.

Sakaja's administration will be working will be facing constraints in its quest to restore the city to normalcy after reports from the Auditor General's Office indicated low uptake of development funds allocation in the city.

In January, the Nairobi County Assembly approved the supplementary budget estimates for the year 2024/2025, giving Governor Johnson Sakaja (right) additional funds to implement his projects.

Members of the county assembly overwhelmingly voted for the Sh44.47 billion budget, which grew by Sh905 million from the previous Sh42.3 billion.

The approved supplementary budget included Sh32.39 billion recurrent expenditures and Sh12.08 billion for development.

In the estimates, Sh1.26 billion was allocated for the payment of pending bills, up from the initial Sh450 million.

This is against the outstanding Sh121 billion in pending bills, according to the report from the Controller of Budget.

A defaced Kenyatta Avenue signage at the junction between Kenyatta Avenue and Wabera Street. (Photo: Barack Oduor)

Also approved was Sh400 million for the county’s school feeding initiative, bringing the total budget for the programme to Sh1.2 billion. An additional Sh300 million was approved for the health sector, as well as Sh150 million for disaster response.

A further Sh100 million was allocated for the purchase of emergency relief items.

To enhance waste management, the assembly approved Sh604 million to be used to purchase trucks and another Sh50 million for the installation of litter bins within the CBD.

The newly established Nairobi City County Government’s Green Nairobi Company was allocated Sh100 million.

The allocation for the Ward Development Fund has been increased by Sh200 million, ending a standoff that saw members threaten to shoot down the supplementary budget.

Also, Sh50 million was allocated for the drilling of boreholes in Woodley, Lower Kabete, Umoja One, Mabatini and Kitisuru with the aim of availing water for the residents.