A group of disillusioned young individuals (goons) has stepped forward demanding payment, claiming they were hired by politicians to participate in the recent #OccupyEverywhere protests on Tuesday July 2, 2024.
In a video shot at night, they express their grievances openly, accusing unnamed leaders of betraying them despite their participation in the demonstrations.
The individuals, who seem to have been recruited as part of the protests, describe receiving early morning calls to gather at City Hall with about 50 others.
They were then equipped with ‘rungus’ (wooden clubs) and instructed to disperse throughout the city to disrupt the protests.
One of the goons, holding a ‘rungu’, voices his dissatisfaction directly to his employers, demanding payment: “We were called in the morning to go to City Hall. We were 50 people, with our fellow youths. They gave us these clubs.
“You gave us work until some were tear-gassed… Right now we are calling your phones but they are not being answered.
“We have survived the ordeal. We have protected their property. We are going all the way to Riverside. You called us to City Hall? You will pay us our money!”
They continue to lament that they were only given a partial payment as a downpayment and insist on receiving the full amount owed to them.
Tuesday’s protests were marred by widespread looting, vandalism, and violence, prompting many leaders and demonstrators to withdraw from the demonstrations due to the infiltration of unruly elements.
Unlike the peaceful and organized protests of the past weeks, recent demonstrations have been disrupted by shadowy figures causing chaos on behalf of their benefactors—throwing stones, setting fires, attacking police officers, robbing bystanders, and creating general disorder within their respective areas.
In response to the unrest, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) stated, “Security forces across the country singled out suspects found engaging in criminal activities in the guise of protesting, and took them to custody.”
“The DCI has further deployed scrupulous investigators across the affected regions to pursue suspects captured on CCTV cameras and mobile phone recordings violently robbing, stealing and destroying properties and businesses of innocent citizens,” the statement added.
According to media reports, state intelligence and security agencies are monitoring six politicians, a businessman, and two NGOs on suspicion of their involvement in fueling the ongoing anti-government protests.
