Businesses in Murang'a remain closed over protests

Businesses in Murang’a town remained closed for the better part of Wednesday morning in anticipation of the nationwide Gen Z protests.

The streets remained bare, with only a few residents walking around as they tended to their daily routines.

At the main matatu terminus, operators could be seen idling as most vehicles that ply the Murang’a-Nairobi route remained parked.

Few vehicles that ply shorter routes like Murang’a-Thika and Murang’a-Karatina were operating, but passengers complained that they were taking too long to fill up due to a shortage of travellers.

Martin Kangangi, a director at Murang’a Shuttle Services Sacco, said all 71 vehicles affiliated with the sacco were not operating.

“We evaluated the risk and decided to stop our operations because we don’t want to send our drivers and passengers to risky areas. If you look around, you’ll notice there are only a few people walking around. Everybody is at home watching the proceedings,” he said.

Joel Munyaka, a lone protester in Murang'a youth, talking to The Star.

As a result, the sacco will make approximate losses amounting to over Sh1 million.

Kangangi underscored the need for all players to ensure that protests being conducted are peaceful so that protestors can go back to their homes unharmed and businesses resume as soon as possible.

“We don’t want situations where goons break into businesses and loot. We want peace. If youths want to protest, let them be facilitated to peacefully demonstrate”.

A major supermarket remained closed while another one engaged police officers to offer security, and banking halls remained empty.

In the quiet town, a lone protester walked around, donning a mask and a flag tied loosely around his neck.

Joel Munyaka said that though he was unable to join the protestors in other major towns, he felt obliged to commemorate the youths who lost their lives during the Gen Z protests last year.

Uhuru Highway in Murang'a town

“I have no issue with the government, but we’re using a system that can only work in developed countries, yet ours is still struggling, and when we demand better, we get hurt,” he said.

Munyaka, a fourth-year student who is currently on attachment, said parents are forced to sell property to educate their children, but that the poor state of the economy has made it impossible for the educated youth to thrive.

Worse still, he said, political leaders have been making sentiments seen to be mocking youths’ efforts to agitate for the better.

“I’m out here because I wonder whether I will get any opportunities once I graduate in December,” he said, adding that it’s vital to honour those who paid the ultimate price while fighting for their rights and urged the government to make June 25 a national holiday.

Nicholas Kamanjara said that between Tuesday and Wednesday morning, he sold dozens of vuvuzelas and whistles and that the two commodities were no longer available in Murang’a town.

The main matatu terminus in Murang'a town remained inactive as operators kept off

Reports indicate that busloads of local youths left the town headed for Nairobi on Tuesday night in preparation for the protests.

“Most of the major shops have closed down. Only retailers like us remain. We stand with our children in calling for an end to extrajudicial killings. If anybody is in the wrong, let them be prosecuted”.

The government, he said, should not take offence when its citizenry asks for better services and accountability.

Peter Githua, a barber, said by 11 am, he had only served three clients and had gleaming hopes for the day.

He said the poor economy has discouraged his clients from having frequent haircuts, eating into his monthly earnings.

Biashara Street, one of the major streets in Murang'a town, where businesses remained closed on June 25, 2025

“I used to make up to Sh1,000 a day, and that was after paying my employer his daily dues. Now I barely make Sh500. Things are desperate,” he said.

Peter Munga, the proprietor of a local eatery, also decried the poor state of the economy that has seen his profit margins shrink despite reducing his workers.

Munga noted that the high cost of living has made it impossible for locals to eat out of their homes, which has adversely affected the hospitality industry.

“A pack of serviettes cost Sh60 a few years back, now it's Sh110. I started selling a plate of beef at Sh250. A kilo of raw beef by then was Sh480. Now the same is going for Sh700, and I’m still selling food at the same price”.