An office belonging to the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party was on Monday, May 18, in Wote town in Makueni County as protests over rising fuel prices intensified across the country.
According to multiple reports, angry youths stormed the party office and vandalised properties before setting the entire premise on fire as demonstrations intensified.
Videos and photos seen by Kenyans.co.ke showed thick smoke billowing into the sky as others watched from a distance.
The footage further showed that only a section of the office was destroyed, while windows and other property were shattered.
By the time this publication was issued, the fire had been contained, and people were assessing the extent of the inferno. No official communication from the ruling party had been released addressing the incident.
At the same time, no injuries have been reported, though goods worth a substantial amount his feared to have been lost during the incident.
This was the second successive torching incident reported in the country on Monday, May 18, occurring almost simultaneously with the burning of a Mazda CX-5 along Thika Superhighway in Nairobi by angry protesters.
The unrest comes amid growing frustration among motorists, transport operators and small businesses over the cost of fuel, which has triggered protests in several towns.
The strike began on Monday morning, paralysing transportation of goods and movement of people across major towns, with Nairobi being the most affected.
The UDA office was particularly targeted since it is the ruling party, and many protesters link the high cost of fuel to a failure by the government to cushion prices.
As frustrations mounted over pump prices, some demonstrators shifted their anger from the street protests to property associated with the party seen as representing the government in power.
Meanwhile, operations remain paralysed with many businesses closed in major towns as protests continue, with police also patrolling to contain the situation from worsening.