Front view of Jadelica hotel in Bungoma….Photo/IP.
By Tim Wekesa,
IP Reporter
KANDUYI, Kenya.
(June 26, 2025).
The management of Jadelica Hotel, a five-star establishment in Kanduyi, has reported massive losses after a group of youths looted and vandalized the premises during Wednesday’s Gen Z-led anti-tax demonstrations.
Patrick Ndegwa, the hotel’s supervision manager, said the chaos began in the evening when an unruly group stormed the property. “They threw stones at our staff, who ran for safety.
They took all the bread in our bakery, all the beer in our bar, and chased away customers,” he said. “The entire place turned into a war zone.”
Eyewitnesses condemned the looting as criminal. “This hotel belongs to Dr. Jacob Wanyama, our own son in Bungoma.
He has employed staff from across the country. That was so unfortunate,” said Douglas, a local resident.
Police responded quickly, arresting several suspects and recovering CCTV footage to help identify additional perpetrators.
The hotel clarified it is a private business with no political affiliations.
Elsewhere in Bungoma, a group identified by authorities as “goons disguised as Gen Z protesters” vandalized Governor Ken Lusaka’s county offices.
According to police reports, the attackers smashed windows, ransacked sections of the building, and destroyed five government vehicles parked at the premises.
“This was not protest—it was sheer criminality,” a senior county official told IP. “The governor’s office is a symbol of public service, and such destruction is unacceptable.”
The twin incidents have intensified concerns that peaceful demonstrations are being hijacked by opportunistic vandals.
While many Gen Z-led protests across the country have remained nonviolent, isolated cases of looting and destruction have been reported in Nairobi, Nakuru, Kisumu, and Mombasa.
Law enforcement authorities say more than 200 suspects have been arrested nationwide since the protests began last week. In Bungoma alone, dozens are now in custody as police continue investigations.
Rights groups have urged the state to respect the right to peaceful assembly under Article 37 of the Constitution, but also called on young demonstrators to avoid destruction of private and public property.
As tensions remain high, security has been heightened across Bungoma and other protest-prone towns. Investigations into the Jadelica and Governor’s Office incidents are ongoing.
Reporting by Tim Wekesa, IP Reporter.
