Authorities have arrested eight suspects and recovered 63 bags of government-subsidised fertiliser believed to have been stolen during the June 25, 2025 protests. The recovery is part of an ongoing crackdown on looting that erupted during the demonstrations.
Highlights
- 63 bags of government fertiliser have been recovered by police.
- Eight suspects were arrested in connection to the theft.
- The looting took place during the nationwide protests on June 25.
- Agriculture CS previously revealed 7,000 bags had been stolen in Maua alone.
- Investigations into stolen farm inputs are ongoing.
Main Story
Police have arrested eight individuals linked to the theft of government-subsidised fertiliser during the Gen Z-led demonstrations on June 25. Officers recovered 63 bags of the stolen input in an operation aimed at tracing looted supplies from state depots and disrupted transport routes.
The arrests come just days after Agriculture CS Mutahi Kagwe revealed that more than 7,000 bags of fertiliser had been looted from the National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) depot in Maua during the protests. The incident raised alarm over potential disruptions to farming activities during the current planting season.
Authorities say looters took advantage of the chaos during demonstrations to target government supplies. The fertiliser was meant for distribution to farmers under the national subsidy programme. Police are now working with the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) to recover the remaining stolen stock and bring all involved to justice.
The eight suspects are currently in custody and are expected to be charged in court. Investigators believe more individuals may be connected to the wider fertiliser theft and have vowed to intensify operations in affected areas.
As the state moves swiftly to recover stolen farm inputs, the incident underscores a deeper issue—how moments of civil unrest can spiral into widespread threats to national food security.
