Bunge La Mwananchi has issued a passionate call to Kenyans to take part in peaceful Saba Saba demonstrations set for Sunday, urging traders across Nairobi and other urban centers to keep their businesses closed as a safety precaution.
Speaking on Saturday, the organization’s President, Francis Awino, emphasized that this year’s Saba Saba—marking 35 years since the historic 1990 pro-democracy protests—was more than a remembrance of the past. He said it represented today’s pressing challenges, including youth unemployment, police brutality, and the rising cost of living.
“This year’s Saba Saba marks not just a day in history, but a reflection of today’s struggles,” Awino said. “It is about the youth, the hungry, the jobless, and every Kenyan weighed down by bad leadership and economic inequality.”
Awino encouraged all able-bodied Kenyans, especially the youth, to come out in large numbers to demand accountability and reforms. He advised elderly citizens and vulnerable groups to follow the events from their homes, saying the safety of every participant was paramount.
He urged traders and business owners to support the cause by temporarily shutting down, noting that previous protests had been infiltrated by criminal elements who looted and vandalized property—actions that unfairly tainted the image of peaceful demonstrators.
“This is not a call for chaos,” Awino clarified. “We are simply protecting traders from potential losses and asking them to stand in solidarity with the people.”
Addressing the police, Awino called for professionalism and respect for the demonstrators’ constitutional rights, warning against the use of force.
“We don’t want to see teargas or riot gear. The Constitution gives us the right to picket and assemble peacefully. The police must not be used to suppress the voice of the people,” he warned.
The protest, he said, would highlight key issues affecting ordinary Kenyans—including the high cost of basic goods, extrajudicial killings, unemployment, and what the group termed as growing state repression.
“We are reviving the true spirit of Saba Saba,” Awino added. “The same courage that led to the repeal of Section 2A must guide us today. Kenya belongs to all of us, not just the privileged few.”
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