Quickmart Addresses Claims Of 30 Bodies Found Inside Looted OTC Supermarket

Quickmart supermarket has refuted claims that multiple people were killed at one of its branches in Nairobi’s CBD during the June 25 protests.

In a statement issued on Thursday, the retailer confirmed that its outlets at OTC and Ruiru were broken into during the unrest, but clarified that no fatalities occurred during the incidents.

The clarification followed online reports suggesting police were retrieving bodies from the OTC branch, sparked by images showing officers gathered around the store in downtown Nairobi.

Amid rising concerns that some of the supermarket’s staff or customers may have been harmed, Quickmart reaffirmed that the safety of its employees, customers, and the wider community remains its top priority.

Quickmart supermarket at OTC in Nairobi. /X

"Quickmart notes that two of our branches in OTC and Ruiru were affected during yesterday's demonstrations. 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 safety and security of our employees, customers, and the wider community remain our top priorities," the statement read in part.

While the supermarket recognised that the recent events have posed a significant challenge for these outlets, the management emphasised that Quickmart is deeply committed to restoring normalcy as swiftly as possible.

"We are actively engaging all necessary measures to ensure continued service excellence and to support our shoppers and staff during this time. Quickmart remains dedicated to caring for our community and will continue to keep the public informed as we work towards stability and recovery," added the statement.

"In the meantime, customers of the two branches are advised to access our services at their nearest alternative Quickmart branch."

The clarification from Quickmart, however, did fall short of promising to reveal CCTV footage of what happened on Wednesday, June 25 and to allow human rights bodies to arrive at the supermarket on a fact-finding mission to verify the statement.

It came shortly after popular activist Hanifa Adan raised concerns about messages she received from protesters near the OTC branch.

"What’s going on at Quickmart? Goodness," she wrote on X, accompanied by screenshots of messages from concerned protesters.

In four screenshots she shared, protesters expressed fears of a possible cover-up at the location, alleging that police officers were aggressively clearing people from the area.

One individual even claimed that as many as 30 bodies were being removed from the premises and that access to the site had been restricted.

These concerns surfaced just hours after Amnesty International Kenya confirmed that at least 16 people had died nationwide during the June 25 protests, held to commemorate the first anniversary of the 2024 anti-finance bill demonstrations.

Heavy police presence outside the Quickmart OTC branch on June 26, 2025. /HANIFA ADAN