Kenyan protests erupted in violence on Tuesday, leading to the vandalism and burning of the newly refurbished Uganda House on Kenyatta Avenue in Nairobi’s Central Business District.
According to a statement from Ugandan Permanent Secretary Vincent Waiswa Bagiire, the six-story building was undergoing renovations and slated for reopening this Friday. Only commercial tenants on the ground floor were present during the incident.
“While we regret the destruction of property, we commend the Nairobi Fire Department for their swift response,” said Waiswa. Thankfully, there were no reported fatalities or serious injuries.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation. The building went up in flames amidst wider Kenyan protests, which saw demonstrators breach and ransack parliament. It’s unclear if the inferno was directly linked to the protests or the ongoing renovations.
Video footage captured by @citizentvkenya shows Kenyans breaking into Uganda House in Nairobi before to setting it on fire. #REJECT_FinanceBill2024 pic.twitter.com/K7S6Drb5tv
— Remmy Bahati (@BahatiRemmy) June 25, 2024
A video captured AIGP John Ndugutse, the police attaché at Uganda’s High Commission in Kenya, expressing his devastation at the burning building.
The violence followed a controversial decision by Kenyan lawmakers to pass a new finance bill with increased taxes. The unpopular bill sparked large protests, with demonstrators overwhelming security forces and storming parliament, which also suffered fire damage.
Uganda’s Permanent Secretary condemned the violence while reaffirming the strong relationship between Uganda and Kenya. “We support peaceful demonstrations,” he stated, “but condemn any violence that destroys property or endangers lives.”
