Tension over planned Saba Saba street demos

Police erect a roadblock at Madaraka junction on Langata Road in Nairobi ahead of the anticipated Saba Saba demos on July 7, 2026. [Elvis Ogina, Standard] 

There is uncertainty over planned protests to commemorate the annual Saba Saba on Tuesday, with activists promising peaceful demonstrations to Parliament while warning of a looming confrontation with security agencies.

A coalition of human rights defenders and youth movement leaders on Monday announced intentions to march to mark the day.

But they expressed concerns citing recent violent crackdowns and abductions by police officers.

The activists plan to march to Parliament to present a petition demanding urgent action against extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances and police brutality, adding that they have presented the notice to authorities.

“A nation cannot truly be free when its citizens live in fear of both State violence and economic hardship. In honour of those who fought for democratic reforms, we will conduct a peaceful procession to Parliament to present a petition,” said Elisha Ochieng.

“We call upon all participants to remain peaceful, orderly and unarmed, and urge the National Police Service to facilitate the lawful exercise of the constitutional rights guaranteed under Article 37 and 119 of the Constitution,” Ochieng added.

However, they alleged that there were plans to deploy goons to infiltrate their planned march and also expressed fears of possible abductions carried out by police officers in unmarked vehicles and masked faces despite court orders prohibiting such tactics.

“We are aware the police are currently hiring, training and equipping goons to be unleashed on peaceful demonstrators. I warn the Inspector General of Police that if anything happens to any Kenyan tomorrow, the buck stops with you,” Mulinge Muteti, a human rights defender.

“We will hold you personally accountable for any crime committed by the police.” They warned that continued State violence could push the country toward chaos if untamed, citing the escalating ‘goonism trend’ in protests. Muteti, who was among the activists abducted by police on June 25 during the second anniversary of Gen Z protests, warned of more abductions on Tuesday.

Julius Kamau, a human rights activist added, “We are not relenting and abductions will not stop us. Arrests and killings will not stop us.” To counter abductions, the movement announced counter-surveillance measures by deploying GPS-enable smart chips to track anyone arrested and secretly detained. “So those officers who are hell-bent in kidnapping Kenyans, we have devised alternatives. We will be implanting chips among us so that in the event that you kidnap or you take one of us, there will be geolocation,” said Francis Awino.

They further revealed they will publicise footage of police officers who abducted protesters on June 25. “We deployed drones and we are analysing the footage of the rogue officers who abducted or arrested and tortured our comrades in the streets,” said Joshua Nyajom.

“We submitted the notification last Thursday. So we expect the police will come tomorrow and provide security for us. Any officer who will be operating outside the law will be held individually accountable,” Nyajom added.

Awino further said the demonstrations were also a response to broken promises and deepening poverty and unemployment among the young people. “We cannot have a country where we don’t have food to eat, we don’t have water to drink. The only promises that we get from the government is that go to school, you will find a job but those degrees are just papers,” said Awino.