Roysambu Quickmart looted during Saba Saba protests
By William Muthama, July 7, 2025A Quickmart supermarket in Roysambu was looted and vandalised on Monday, July 7, 2025, afternoon as the 35th Saba Saba anniversary protests erupted into chaos along the Thika Superhighway.
Footage seen by this publication showed wreckage at the store’s entrance, with glass shards scattered across the ground, shopping carts overturned, and electronics believed to be television sets and air fans visible in the debris.
While it has not been verified exactly what was stolen, eyewitnesses confirmed the store had been forcibly breached.
Police responded quickly, backing their vehicle to the main entrance and preparing to arrest suspects believed to be trapped inside. Officers formed a cordon around the premises as more residents of Roysambu gathered to witness the unfolding situation.
Crowd gathers outside
News of the incident drew dozens to the scene, many of them filming with their phones and exchanging updates. The mood grew tense as police warned onlookers to keep a distance. “It’s shocking. You don’t expect this to happen at a supermarket during the day,” one resident remarked.
As of Monday, July 7, 2025, evening, Quickmart had not issued an official statement on the extent of damage or potential losses.
Citywide clashes
The looting came amid widespread unrest in Nairobi and other towns as Kenyans marked Saba Saba Day, a historic date tied to Kenya’s pro-democracy struggle that began on July 7, 1990.
In Kiserian, a major standoff unfolded between anti-government protesters and riot police. What began as peaceful demonstrations soon escalated. Protesters lit bonfires in the middle of roads, waved placards, and chanted against the rising cost of living and police brutality. In response, police fired tear gas and moved in with batons to break up crowds.
Elsewhere, similar scenes of unrest and vandalism were reported, with several arrests made throughout the day.
Deepening discontent
This year’s Saba Saba comes at a time of deep public frustration with President William Ruto’s administration. Civil society groups have condemned heavy-handed police tactics, while the government has insisted that the protests are unlawful and politically motivated.