Keumbu Traders Count Heavy Losses as Online Boycott Enters Fourth Day Following Linda Mwananchi Violence

Trading activities in Keumbu Market, Kisii County, have remained paralyzed for the fourth consecutive day as traders continue to count heavy losses following an online boycott campaign sparked by last Friday’s violent attack on the Linda Mwananchi convoy.

The boycott gained momentum after videos of the chaos circulated widely on social media, with some users accusing traders and residents of participating in the stoning of opposition supporters. Since then, customers have reportedly avoided the market, leaving many small-scale businesses struggling to earn a living despite insisting they had nothing to do with the violence.

One of the survivors of the attack, Meshack Yoge, has recounted the terrifying ordeal, describing how he was struck by a stone after the vehicle he was traveling in came under attack.

“Nilikuwa nimekaa left hand kiti cha nyuma. Hiyo gari ilipigwa, hiyo kioo ikapasuka, ikaja na hiyo mawe ndiyo iliyonigonga hapa. Hiyo mawe ndiyo ikanigonga hapa ikiwa na kioo, na hizo fidungadunga kwa macho. Na pia meno iko na shida kidogo.”

(“I was seated on the left side of the back seat. The vehicle was hit, the window shattered, and the stone struck me here. The stone hit me together with the broken glass, and the glass fragments injured my eyes. My teeth were also affected.”)

Yoge sustained injuries to his face, eyes, and teeth after the shattered window and flying debris struck him during the attack. Another victim, Andre Mochache, also suffered injuries and has joined calls for accountability.

The victims are now urging the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) to investigate the conduct of police officers who were present during the incident, questioning why the violence was allowed to escalate.

“Mashirika ambayo yanahusika yafanye kile ambacho wanafaa kufanya. Kama IPOA, tunawaomba mchunguze wale maaskari ambao walikuwa pale ili wawaambie ni nini kilikuwa kinaendelea.”

(“The institutions responsible should do what they are supposed to do. We are asking IPOA to investigate the police officers who were there and explain what was happening.”)

Beyond the physical injuries, the violence has dealt a severe economic blow to Keumbu’s business community. Traders say business was thriving before Friday’s incident, but the online boycott has since emptied the market, leaving many unable to make daily sales.

Several vendors lamented that customers now refuse to buy from them, claiming they associate everyone from Keumbu with the violence. Hawkers and small-scale traders insist they are innocent and should not be punished for actions they neither participated in nor supported.

The prolonged boycott has placed hundreds of livelihoods at risk, with traders warning that many families who depend on daily earnings are now struggling to survive. Some expressed sympathy for those who lost loved ones during the violence, saying they too are grieving and should not be treated as enemies.

In emotional appeals, traders asked Kenyans to forgive the community and end the boycott, stressing that ordinary residents are bearing the greatest burden.

“Biashara yetu imerudi chini hata tunalia. Hao watoto waliopigwa wakakufa ni wetu, ni watoto wetu. Sisi pia tunasikia uchungu ndani yetu. Kwa hivyo wananchi wenzetu msituchukie, msitupigane sisi kwa sisi.”

(“Our businesses have collapsed and we are suffering. Those young people who were attacked and died are our own children too. We also feel their pain. We appeal to our fellow Kenyans not to hate us or fight against one another.”)

The unrest followed the violent attack on the Linda Mwananchi convoy in Keumbu that claimed the life of Vincent Osiemo, popularly known as Mapinduzi, and left several others injured. Police have since arrested several suspects as investigations into the incident continue.