Amid rising public anxiety and anger, Quickmart Supermarket has come out to strongly deny allegations that multiple people were killed inside its OTC branch during the June 25 youth-led protests in Nairobi’s CBD.
In a statement issued Thursday, the retail chain confirmed that its OTC and Ruiru branches were broken into, but insisted that no casualties were recorded during the chaos.
“Contrary to misleading information circulating on digital platforms, we wish to assure the public that no staff, customers, or any other individuals were injured or deceased at the two outlets,” the statement read in part.
But Quickmart’s denial has done little to calm a swelling tide of public suspicion, especially online, where firsthand reports and chilling images of police officers surrounding the OTC branch continue to fuel fears of a possible cover-up.
The firestorm began after activist Hanifa Adan raised the alarm on X, sharing multiple distress messages from protesters and eyewitnesses who alleged that police were “collecting bodies” from the supermarket during the height of the protests.
“What’s going on at Quickmart? Goodness,” she wrote, alongside screenshots of alarming messages, including one that claimed up to 30 bodies were being retrieved and civilians were being forcefully dispersed from the scene.
The claims have ignited emotional calls for transparency, with many Kenyans demanding the release of CCTV footage and an independent investigation into what transpired at the Quickmart OTC location.
Quickmart, in its statement, maintained that security and safety of staff, customers, and the surrounding community remains their top priority, and called for continued support as the affected outlets work to resume normal operations.
Yet, the questions persist — and they cut deeper than corporate reassurance can reach.
This controversy comes on the heels of Amnesty International Kenya’s confirmation that at least 16 people were killed nationwide during the protests, which commemorated the one-year anniversary of the 2024 anti-finance bill uprising.
On the streets and online, the narrative of government brutality, media blackouts, and corporate silence is gaining traction, as Gen Z protestors and civil society demand truth and accountability — not just from the state, but from every institution caught in the chaos.
For many, the real question lingers like smoke in the CBD air: What really happened inside Quickmart OTC on June 25 and who is trying to keep it buried?
