Nairobi — In former President Uhuru Kenyatta's expansive Northlands Estate, life is slowly returning to normal, two days after more than 2,000 armed invaded it leaving behind a trail of destruction.
On March 27, the intruders arrived armed with machetes and clubs, before unleashing terror in broad daylight.
In full glare of onlookers and media cameras, the goons who appeared comfortable in their mission drove away sheep, cut down trees with power saws as others erected makeshift structures to signal a hostile takeover.
"It was a horable what we saw," a vendor nearby said, "these guys had even the guts of slaughtering sheep on site. I mean what kind of confidence is that."
When Capital FM News returned to the site on Wednesday, flower vendors, who do business on the side of the road, had resumed operations.
A flower vendor who was in the area at the time of the incident says he was forced to abandon his business when the gangs alighted from the vehicles that were ferrying them.
He recounts how some of them were ferried using buses and came from two different direction some from by pass area while others from the opposite direction.
"They had machetes and power saws and when they turned violent, I decided to run for my life," the vendor who declined to be named added that the goons stepped on some of his flowers and made way with some.
He could not however quantify his losses saying he was still counting the losses.
Another vendor, who wished to remain anonymous said that she also took flight when she saw the goons whom she argues looked ready for blood.
She stated that she only returned to the site today (Wednesday) when to check if things had cooled down so that she could take stock of what, that is left of her business.
The water pipes which the vendors used to water their flowers was also destroyed by the attackers.
When asked about the security situation of the area since the raid she adds that it is business as usual in the area.
In regards to the presence of government security agencies, no uniformed police officer is visible in the area on Wednesday unlike Tuesday when they say there was heavy security presence in the area especially in the hours leading to the inspection tour by Azimio La Umoja One Kenya Coalition leader Raila Odinga.
However, private security guards could be seen patrolling the section of the land where the gangs gained access into the land.
Some of them armed with bows and arrows and others with guard dogs.
One of the guards confirms to us that there are no government security agents in the land even as he argues that they have enhanced security of the property warning that they are ready for anything.
"We are her to ensure security, anyone who tries anything will face our wrath and should not blame anyone," Joseph Gichana says even as he pleaded with the public to refrain from invading the private property.
Another security guard only identified as Michael adds that they are yet to see any other incident since the Monday attack but adds that they remain alert.
Even as the security agencies remains at pains to explain where they were at the time of the incident and why it took them 24 hours to respond, the Kenyatta family are yet to issue a public statement on the attack.
One of the security guards said that some members of the first family were around assessing the damage following the incident.
He could not however specify who they were.
During the incident which resulted to a loss to the tune of millions, security agents were nowhere to be seen, a move that has seen the top brass within the country's security structure come under heavy criticism from a section of Kenyans and politicians led by the Opposition Chief Raila Odinga, the key ally of ex-president Kenyatta.
Police would eventually be deployed to the Northlands Farm, almost 24-hours after it was invaded by an even as claims emerge that the attack was targeted.
A spot check by Capital FM News revealed that a section of the fence which was brought down during the incident was yet to be repaired while the trees that were brought down are still in place with little activity on the land.
As questions on who did and who failed to do what during the invasion continues to be raised, normalcy is slowly returning to the area that was literally a war zone 48 hours ago.
On Tuesday Opposition Chief Raila Odinga who made a visit to the Kenyatta farm blamed President William Ruto who is out of the country for the spate of attacks on private properties that unfolded Monday.
Odinga alleged that the government-sanctioned goons on Northlands Farm owned by retired President Uhuru Kenyatta and his firm East Africa Specter where the property was looted and destroyed.
The Azimio La Umoja One Kenya Leader mentioned that the violence witnessed in the country was part of President Ruto's modus operandi in any quest for change.
"Let there be no confusion here. Violence has been Ruto's stock in trade against Kenyans whenever Kenyans have sought to change their lot and what happened yesterday (Monday) is not any different," he stated.
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He stated that the Kenya Kwanza Alliance government had a hand in the scenes of violence witnessed in Northlands, in Kisumu, Kibra, Mathare and Spectre company.
"Despite Azimio supporters bending over to ensure that the protests are conducted strictly within the law, the State, under the direction of Ruto and Gachagua, did everything to ensure the protests degenerate into chaos and lead to death," the Opposition Leader said.
The ODM Leader warned that more attacks on private properties will be meted on Kenyans opposed to the clamor for changes in the country.
On Tuesday, Inspector General of Police Japhet Koome stated that investigations have been launched on invasion of Kenyatta family Northlands farm and Azimio leader Raila Odinga's gas company.
In a statement, Koome indicated that action will be taken against the culprits.
"Our investigation into the destructions and injuries caused has begun, and those found culpable shall face the law. We are appealing to the public to adhere to the rule of law when exercising their Constitutional rights to picket, petition or demonstrate," Koome said even as he defended himself adding the officers responded swiftly and prevented further crimes.
