Nearly 1,500 Arrested, 42 Dead Amidst Widespread Criminality, Government Vows To Prosecute Financiers

Intelligence-led operations have resulted in the arrest of nearly 1,500 individuals nationwide, who are now facing a battery of serious charges including terrorism, murder, robbery with violence, arson, and malicious property damage. This aggressive crackdown follows the violent unrest that rocked the nation on June 25 and July 7.

In a detailed statement released on Tuesday, Interior and National Administration Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen announced the staggering toll of the recent upheaval: 42 people killed and nearly 1,500 arrests made. The government emphatically branded these events not as protests, but as “pure, premeditated criminality,” and has vowed to rigorously prosecute the “financiers and political sponsors” of the chaos.

The ministry described the unrest as “raw and unprecedented terror,” which left close to 600 people injured. Significantly, this figure includes 496 police officers, suggesting that approximately 83% of those injured were law enforcement personnel. “This is unacceptable,” Murkomen stated, expressing condolences for every life lost and extending sympathies to the affected families.

According to the government’s report, the wave of violence was highly coordinated and involved targeted attacks on both public and private property on a scale “never before witnessed.” The ongoing intelligence-led operations have led to the arrests, with specialized units now handling the cases. The Serious Crimes Investigations Unit is managing 50 of the individuals, while the Anti-Terrorism Police Unit (ATPU) is handling 71 cases specifically for terrorism-related offenses.

“Those who incited, organized, funded, or executed these attacks will face the full force of the law,” Murkomen warned, underscoring the government’s determination. He further added, “The financiers and political sponsors of this mayhem are being investigated and will soon answer for their crimes.”

Systematic Attack on Police and Public Infrastructure

The government expressed particular alarm over a “disturbing trend” involving the direct targeting of security installations. This was framed as a “coordinated attempt to subvert the state’s ability to guarantee law, order, and public safety.” Over the two days of unrest, a total of 16 police stations and posts were either burned or destroyed, signaling a deliberate assault on public infrastructure and law enforcement presence.