On June 26, 2025, tensions were high in Nairobi after a night of violent protests rocked the city. Early that evening, social media erupted with claims that police had surrounded the Quick Mart branch at OTC because a protester had died there.
Images shared by The Standard Digital showed a heavy presence of anti-riot police, armored vehicles, and closed shutters, which only fueled public suspicion.
Many on X questioned whether a body had been found at the supermarket, while others accused the police of trying to cover up casualties from the previous day’s demonstrations.
But Quickmart moved fast to address the rumors. In a statement issued the same day, the supermarket chain confirmed that although the branch had been affected by looting, no deaths or injuries occurred on their premises.
They said the OTC and Ruiru branches were both targeted by looters during the June 25 protests, but all staff and customers were safe. Quickmart assured the public they were cooperating with authorities and asked customers to use other branches while normal operations resumed.
The confusion around Quick Mart OTC reflects the broader chaos that followed the June 25 protests, which were among the most violent Kenya has seen in recent years. What began as demonstrations to mark the anniversary of the 2024 anti-government protests quickly turned deadly.
The anger was also sparked by the recent death of blogger Albert Ojwang while in police custody. Many protesters, especially the youth, accused the police of using excessive force. The official death toll varies, with Interior CS Kipchumba Murkomen reporting at least 10 deaths, while Amnesty Kenya said at least 16 people died, most from gunshot wounds believed to have come from police.
During the protests, demonstrators clashed with police in various parts of Nairobi and other towns. Protesters tried to reach Parliament and State House, demanding justice and accountability. In the chaos, at least 10 buildings were burned in the city center, and several shops were looted. One shop owner, Josephine Apondi, told reporters that she lost electronics and phones worth over 2 million shillings during the unrest.The government has responded by calling the protests an attempted coup. Interior CS Murkomen said some of the demonstrators were acting like terrorists. But this hardline stance has drawn criticism, especially from young people who say they are simply asking for justice, an end to police brutality, and reforms to fix corruption in government. Many believe the government is using security forces to silence dissent rather than address the real issues behind the protests.What happened at Quick Mart OTC is just one piece of a much bigger picture. The heavy police presence was likely a reaction to the looting and fear of more chaos, not necessarily because someone died there. Still, the way the situation unfolded shows how quickly rumors can spread and how mistrust between the public and the police continues to grow. The fact that so many people believed a body could be hidden there speaks volumes about the level of fear and frustration in the country.As the country continues to process the events of June 25 and 26, the need for open dialogue is clear. Both the government and protest leaders must find a way to de-escalate the situation before more lives are lost. The calls for justice in the case of Albert Ojwang remain loud, and unless there is accountability, the unrest is unlikely to stop.
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