By Seliphar Machoni
The streets of Kakamega erupted in chaos as the sun set on Tuesday, July 16. What began as
peaceful protests by Gen Z demanding accountability and good governance devolved into a
nightmare of looting and destruction. Shops were ransacked, goods littered the pavement, and the
air was thick with fear and turmoil.
Amid this pandemonium, the cries for help and frantic footsteps of people fleeing echoed
through the Jua Kali Estate on the outskirts of Kakamega town, where a young woman's life,
once filled with dreams, took a horrific turn.
Twenty-two-year-old Lilian Awino, who had recently moved from Kisumu to Kakamega, faced
an unimaginable threat just days after settling into her new life. Initially, the protests had been a
collective voice against economic hardship and corruption. However, that Tuesday, it took a
sinister turn. Gangs armed with pangas and rungus infiltrated the demonstrations, transforming
them into scenes of looting, robbery, violence, and sexual assault.
For the past four weeks, youths across Kenya, particularly Gen Z, have been taking to the streets
to demand change from their political leaders. Awino, one of the many supporters of these
demonstrations, could never have imagined that her life would spiral into a nightmare that day.
At 8 p.m., Awino stood outside her home in Jua Kali Estate, watching the escalating chaos in
town. The shouts of the attackers and the cries of victims filled the air, creating a terrifying
symphony of fear. Suddenly, her estate gate swung open, and within moments, a group of nine
men stormed in, brandishing weapons, including rungus, pangas, and knives.
Her heart raced as they closed in, and her mind scrambled for an escape that didn’t exist.
Pleading for her life, she moved toward her house. "All I could think about was how to escape. I
begged them not to kill me and was willing to comply with their demands," Awino recalled, her
voice trembling.
Trapped and terrified, Awino felt the rough grip of one attacker as she was thrown to the ground
on the staircase leading to her home. Desperation filled her eyes as she begged for mercy, but the
goons, fueled by the chaos, showed none. What followed was a harrowing nightmare of pain and
fear, each moment stretching into eternity. They took turns assaulting her, and amid their
brutality, they stole from her home.
"One of them strangled me and covered my eyes while another tore my clothes and dragged me
to the staircase. They took turns assaulting me. I tried to scream and call for help, but one of
them choked me, brandishing a knife and threatening to kill me if I made a sound. Their voices
drowned my own," Awino recounted, tears streaming down her face.
"My neighbours, who were peeking through the window, witnessed what was happening and
raised the alarm, alerting the police, who came to my rescue. Besides the assault, they stole my
money, my clothes, and my phone. They even searched my entire house, asking for my door
number. One of the attackers left his trousers behind, which I handed over to the police," she
said.
Her neighbours quickly called for an ambulance, and she was taken to Kakamega County
Teaching and Referral Hospital for treatment and care.
"I am grateful to my neighbours who called for help. At the hospital, they provided me with
painkillers and medication to prevent HIV/AIDS (Pre-exposure prophylaxis). Since many
department heads dealing with sexual gender-based violence were not available at night, I was
discharged around 11 p.m. and asked to return the following day for further examinations and
counselling," Awino explained.
Mary Owano and other neighbours who came to Awino's aid condemned the incident, stating
that the protests had become violent and no longer peaceful.
"We urge the government to end the protests and listen to the demands of Gen Z to prevent
further harm to human life. The protests have been hijacked by goons using them as a cover for
their criminal activities. Violence and looting have overshadowed the original purpose of the
demonstrations," Owano said.
"Apart from the assault, shops were looted, and personal property was destroyed. Many small-
scale vendors are facing significant losses because their goods were ruined. This kind of violence
must stop," she added.
Investigations by a local media outlet revealed that at least seven women were gang-raped in Jua
Kali, Joyland, Maraba, and Kambi Somali estates on the outskirts of Kakamega.
Amid the destruction, small business owners and fruit vendors watched in despair as their
spoiled produce was strewn across the streets and their carts were set ablaze.
"When they arrived with their weapons, they seized our fruits and discarded them carelessly,
cutting them into pieces. After ruining my fruits, they burned my cart, which I used to sell. I’m
unsure how to recover, as I take loans to buy my stock. When I tried to hold onto my fruits, they
threatened to kill me if I didn’t let go. There was no one to protect us," lamented one vendor.
"I would have preferred if they had taken my fruits and eaten them instead of destroying them
and leaving the mess on the road for everyone to walk on," another vendor expressed in
disappointment.
They called on the Kakamega County governor to engage in dialogue with Gen Z to resolve the
escalating violence and unrest.
