Protests rocked Kenya’s capital, Nairobi, on Monday as demonstrators marked the 35th anniversary of the historic Saba Saba rallies, which in the 1990s demanded multiparty democracy. The latest demonstrations, led largely by youth, echoed recent anti-government rallies in June that initially opposed tax hikes before broadening into calls to end corruption and police brutality.
Police Crackdown and Lockdown
Authorities responded with tear gas and water cannons to disperse crowds, while major roads were barricaded, and schools and businesses shut down in anticipation of unrest. The protests turned deadly, with 11 fatalities reported amid clashes between security forces and demonstrators.
Calls for Reform
Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga seized the moment to demand urgent police reforms and national dialogue.
“I propose that the country urgently returns to the agenda of comprehensive police reforms, focusing on enhancing accountability, transparency, and improving police-to-people relationships,” Odinga declared. He condemned the police force as “a rogue institution that shoots people with impunity,” tracing its harsh tactics back to colonial-era structures.
Odinga also called for an end to systemic corruption, urging leaders to embrace modesty, ethics, and accountability within all branches of government.
Economic Toll on Citizens
The protests paralyzed daily life, with many Nairobi residents struggling to make ends meet. One protester lamented, “I didn’t do any work yesterday. I had only tea for breakfast, kale for supper—I had no option.”
Transport operators also suffered heavy losses, with one estimating that thousands of vehicles remained idle, drastically cutting earnings. “These losses also affect government income,” one driver noted.
Return to Normalcy
By Tuesday, Nairobi had begun to recover, with schools, shops, and transportation resuming operations. However, the scars of the protests remain, reigniting debates over governance, economic hardship, and police conduct in Kenya.
As the nation reflects on the legacy of Saba Saba, activists vow to keep pressure on the government, demanding tangible reforms to address inequality and state violence.
