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Police in Nairobi have arrested a middle-aged man found carrying pieces of the vandalised Dedan Kimathi statue, shocking residents and sparking outrage across the country.
Nairobi County Protocol Officer Rodriques Lunalo said the suspect was intercepted on Sunday, October 12, 2025, near Kimathi Street in the city centre while carrying a suspiciously large sack.
According to Lunalo, county officers on routine patrol grew suspicious after spotting the man acting nervously. Upon stopping him, they discovered the sack contained parts of the Dedan Kimathi memorial statue.
“We noticed the man with an unusually large sack and decided to check what was inside. When we opened it, we found pieces of the Dedan Kimathi statue. He claimed he had just found them lying on the ground,” Lunalo said.
He added that officers from the newly formed Anti-Vandalism Unit, created under the Deputy Inspector of Police, immediately took over the case, and the suspect was detained at Central Police Station for interrogation.
The defacement of the Dedan Kimathi monument has drawn public condemnation, with many Nairobi residents describing it as a disrespectful act against a symbol of Kenya’s independence struggle.
The statue, located on Kimathi Street, honours Mau Mau freedom fighter Dedan Kimathi, who led resistance against British colonial rule.
Lunalo confirmed that investigations are ongoing and that repairs to the statue will begin soon. He also assured the public that the county government remains committed to protecting national monuments and cultural heritage sites.
Residents have called for tighter security, including surveillance cameras and more night patrols, to prevent similar acts of vandalism in the future.
