Ngunjiri Wambugu: No opposition leader filled Raila’s shoes on Saba Saba
By David Nthua, July 8, 2026Former Nyeri Town Member of Parliament Ngunjiri Wambugu says 2026 Saba Saba commemorations exposed a leadership gap in Kenya’s opposition.
Wambugu, writing on Facebook on Wednesday, July 8, 2026, observed that, unlike previous years, the Saba Saba anniversary passed without a major political statement from any opposition leader.
Ngunjiri Wambugu attacks opposition over Saba Saba
“Kweli Baba is no longer with us. Hiyo ni Saba Saba ilipita tu hivyo jana with no major political statement from any opposition leader. An era clearly ended with him,” Wambugu wrote.
Wambugu’s remarks contrast with Raila’s Saba Saba address in July 2025, when the ODM leader used the anniversary to call for sweeping national reforms.
Speaking at Serena Hotel after heavy police deployment prevented him from accessing Kamukunji Grounds, Raila proposed comprehensive police reforms and an inclusive national conclave to address governance, corruption and youth unemployment.
What late Raila told Kenyans during 2025 Saba Saba
“I propose that the country urgently turn to the agenda of comprehensive police reforms focused on transparency, accountability and improving the police-to-people relationship,” Raila said.
He also called for “an inclusive intergenerational national conclave” to chart Kenya’s future and address concerns raised by citizens across the country.
Raila, one of the key figures behind the original Saba Saba movement, had for years used the anniversary to issue political statements and outline reform proposals.
This year’s commemoration, however, unfolded differently as opposition leaders largely marked the day through social media posts, while police mounted heavy security operations, erected roadblocks and restricted access to parts of Nairobi.
The anniversary was also marked by protests in several parts of the country, renewed debate over police conduct and calls for accountability over deaths and injuries linked to demonstrations.
Wambugu argued that the absence of a unifying opposition voice during the anniversary underscored Raila’s long-standing influence on Kenya’s opposition politics and the symbolic role he played during Saba Saba commemorations.