Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Coalition Party Leader Raila Odinga is now accusing criminals and thugs of infiltrating peaceful Gen Z protests to loot and destroy property.

Odinga condemned the violence witnessed in the country on Wednesday, stating that those responsible must be held accountable.

The Azimio chief called for an end to the violence, emphasising that the scenes of Tuesday's protests represent a double betrayal of the youth.

“What started as an expression of disaffection with the government by young Kenyans through peaceful protests and the presentation of petitions to authorities degenerated into chaos and mayhem yesterday,” he stated.

“People who were clearly not the Gen Z that started the initial protests hijacked it, looted businesses, attacked innocent Kenyans and destroyed critical infrastructure.”

He added: “For thugs to hijack the protests and turn them into mayhem against innocent Kenyans amounts to a double betrayal of the youth. The bad manners have to be stopped.”

Odinga says that the peaceful protests which started against the Finance Bill 2024 have already taken a U-turn and are no longer civil or a reflection of the demands of the Gen Zs.

He noted that cases of vandalism, robbery and even rape have been reported in different parts of the nation.

“The young people who started the protests were out to correct the injustices in the country and in the process educate all of us that protests can be peaceful, and civil and still achieve the intended goals. 

“ There are reports of innocent women being harassed and raped in some parts of the country…The scenes of people looting, vandalizing and robbing were way different from what was witnessed at the start of the protests when Gen Z was in complete control of the process and its programs.”

In light of the condemnation, Odinga expressed sympathy to the people affected by the violence pointing out that most of them whose shops were looted were now worse than before the protests.

The Azimio leader also called for accountability from security agencies over the violence meted on protesters.

"I extend deep sympathy to the families who've suffered at the hands of looters posing as Gen Z protestors, innocent people who've seen their business premises broken into, their products looted and who now face the reality of being worse off than before the protests," he said.

"We have had occasion to condemn police brutality on peaceful protestors and we continue to demand civility and accountability from security officers during protests."