Kisumu businessman counts losses after protestors loot supermarket

Jamia Supermarket vandalised by looters in Kisumu on March 30, 2023. [Collins Oduor, Standard]

Thursday March 30 is a day Hussein Hassan will never forget.

"What mistake have I done? What issue do the people of Kisumu have with me? What issue do the people of Azimio have with me? None of my property has remained, they have taken away everything. Now where do I go?" wails Hassan.

The owner of Jamia supermarket is counting huge losses after protestors vandalised his shop on allegations that his workers had given milk to anti-riot police officers.

The protestors who engaged police officers in running battles for the better part of the day, turned their attention to Jamia supermarket moments after the officers, who were lobbing teargas canisters at them, left. They broke the doors of the supermarket and carted away goods of unknown value.

Some of the protestors told The Standard that they targeted the establishment because the supermarket was supplying anti-riot police officers with milk and water. "We saw a worker from the supermarket giving police officers milk from the supermarket. That is unfortunate," said one of the protestors.

A motorcycle rider who only identified himself as Joseph said they were angered by the supermarket employees who allow police officers to pick milk from their shelves. "The protestors were not happy with the development. They felt the worker had already taken sides with the police," he said.

Police came moments later and dispersed the mob who had stolen goods and destroyed shelves in the supermarket.

Hassan told The Standard that protesters who invaded his supermarket stole commodities like wheat flour, maize flour, milk and sugar. He, however, declined to comment on the claims by the protestors that he provided police officers with milk.

Photos by Collins Oduor.