A shocking video circulating on social media has revealed police officers hurling stones and smashing glass at Magunas Supermarket in Makutano, Meru, during the Saba Saba 2025 protests, allegedly allowing a fire to spread inside the iconic retail outlet.
The footage has sparked widespread outrage, with users accusing state-sponsored goons, protected by police, of orchestrating the destruction during the July 7 protests.
The incident, which left over 300 workers jobless, has intensified demands for accountability amid Kenya’s escalating unrest over police brutality, corruption, and economic hardship.
The Saba Saba protests, marking the 35th anniversary of the 1990 pro-democracy movement, turned violent in Meru, with Magunas Supermarket and Club Seven Eleven torched and vandalized.
Initial reports attributed the destruction to protesters who overwhelmed anti-riot police, looting goods before setting the supermarket ablaze.
However, the new video evidence suggests police complicity, showing officers throwing stones at the building as flames erupted. “CCTV footages show police watching everything,” Lautani wrote.
Imenti North Sub-County Police Commander Ambrose Kyalo confirmed 80 arrests, stating that protesters threw a petrol bomb, and the fire brigade’s late arrival and lack of water hindered containment efforts.
Traders, however, claim the goons were outsiders, with CCTV footage under review to identify culprits. The destruction, costing millions and crippling Meru’s economy, has drawn condemnation from Governor Isaac Mutuma, who called it “economic sabotage.”
The video has fueled accusations of police-orchestrated vandalism, with netizens saying, “Police were helping in destruction,” linking the fire to a nearby kiosk that spread to Magunas.
Here are the perpetrators of the Magunas Supermarket fire. The fire was started at the small makeshift luggage bay but you can see police in uniform breaking glass panes so that the fire could access the main building. Then after they are successful they leave casually. pic.twitter.com/Sz1T6pyGWR
— PropesaTV (@PropesaTV) July 11, 2025
The Kenya National Commission on Human Rights has called for probes into protest-related violence, citing 16 deaths nationwide on June 25.
As Gen Z demands justice for victims like Julia Njoki, the Magunas incident shows the need for police reform and accountability in Kenya’s volatile political climate.
