Parts of a farm owned by the family of former Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta have reportedly been set on fire in retaliation for another day of violent opposition demonstrations. According to witnesses at the incident on the outskirts of Nairobi, the intruders stole lambs, with one guy claiming to be selling them for $23 (£13).
As there were no policemen in sight, some of the looters carried machetes. Others were cutting down trees, and the majority of the persons on-site had arrived via bus.
Numerous businesses in the vicinity of the farm and city center stayed closed throughout the day. Moreover, a petrol facility associated with opposition leader Raila Odinga has been vandalized. Mr. Odinga, who is associated with Mr. Kenyatta, has informed sources that the attack on the farm of the former president was conducted by government-hired thugs. The Kenyan government has remained silent on the claim.
In Kenya, post-election violence is nothing new. Yet, attacks on the property of political leaders represent a significant shift. At least one person was murdered during protests in Kisumu, an opposition stronghold in western Kenya, when police sprayed tear gas on protestors who burned tyres and blocked main roadways.
In Nairobi's Kibera area, where Mr. Odinga is popular, police sprayed tear gas at stone-throwing demonstrators.
Mr. Odinga and his coalition, Azimio la Umoja, originally called for demonstrations earlier this month to protest the government's inability to contain growing costs and what he claims was President William Ruto's illegal election victory in 2013. Even though that triumph was affirmed by Kenya's highest court, Mr Odinga argues that the election was "stolen" and has called for rallies every Monday and Thursday.
The key players in this political struggle have previously collaborated.
Mr. Odinga is a former prime minister who has unsuccessfully run for president five times. When the end of ex-President Kenyatta's term approached, he opted to support his erstwhile opponent Mr. Odinga rather than deputy Mr. Ruto. Mr. Ruto was Mr. Odinga's running mate in the 2007 presidential election, which Mr. Kenyatta won.
The Kenyatta family is one of Kenya's greatest landowners. The political and corporate elites of Kenya are few in number and frequently interconnected.
After each election cycle, there is frequently a gentleman's agreement between opposing factions. Even though we do not know how the attacks on the property of political leaders were organized, their occurrence calls into question the general consensus.
Several thieves at the Kenyatta family property claimed they were retaliating for business losses incurred as a result of rallies organized by Mr. Odinga and purportedly funded by Mr. Kenyatta. Their remarks and actions appeared to match what the majority leader in parliament, Kimani Ichung'wah, declared over the weekend that if any Kenyan property was destroyed, they will also occupy their fields, and those without land will also be allowed to acquire it.
People will pay the price if they continue to incite violence and carnage in this country, and that was his warning to Uhuru Kenyatta, the sponsor, single sponsor, and sole backer of Raila Odinga's Azimio and mercenary. Mr. Ichung'wah denied any connection to the invasion of Mr. Kenyatta's land. He provided no proof to support his assertion that the previous president was funding Mr. Odinga.
Mr. Odinga denies any responsibility for the property destruction.
