Amisi cautions Ruto regime against suppressing civil liberties on Saba Saba
By Luke Oluoch, July 7, 2025Saboti MP Caleb Amisi has warned the government against its continued crackdown on citizens’ civil liberties witnessed across the country on Monday, July 7, 2025, as Kenyan youths planned to commemorate the Saba Saba rally’s 35th anniversary.
Taking to his X page, the legislator observed that the police response to demonstrators is counterproductive, as it could lead to the youth becoming more emboldened and determined against an overbearing regime.
While making a fleeting reference to the revolutions across the Arab Spring and other similar uprisings in Africa, the Orange Democratic Movement MP has instead advocated for engaging the youth in dialogue.
Listening
“Don’t test the patience of the jobless, idle youths. They can decide to declare maandamano every day until you resign. It has happened elsewhere. Listening to issues raised by young people is the solution. Suppressing democracy is never a solution. We are reaching the boiling point as a nation, and it is sad for our generation,” the MP’s statement read.
His remarks and appeal for dialogue come after Nairobi Women Representative Esther Passaris revealed that she was pausing the controversial Public Order (Amendment) Bill 2025, following growing pressure from civil society and faith-based organisations.
Passaris, on Monday, July 7, 2025, a day coinciding with the country marking Saba Saba Day, stated that she was shelving the bill to encourage more consultations and dialogue.
Consultations
“PAUSING THE PUBLIC ORDER (AMENDMENT) BILL 2025. A Time for Reflection and Responsibility,” Passaris wrote in a statement posted on her official X account on July 7, 2025.
“As Kenya commemorates Saba Saba; a day rooted in our struggle for democracy and justice, I wish to respond to the call by the National Council of Churches of Kenya (NCCK) and other voices of conscience. I have decided to pause the pre-publication process of the Public Order (Amendment) Bill 2025 to allow for national dialogue and wide public engagement.”
Civil liberties
“This is an invitation to co-create legislation that safeguards constitutional freedoms while ensuring public order. I thank NCCK for its bold stance in defending civil liberties, but I also challenge our religious institutions to raise the moral bar of public discourse.
“Let us teach and encourage a culture of peaceful protest, lawful engagement, and respectful disagreement, values rooted in faith and democracy alike. A just society is not built by force or fear, but by accountability on all sides, from citizens to state officers.
“It is my hope that this conversation will shift from confrontation to collaboration. As we honour the spirit of Saba Saba, let us move forward not in anger but in shared accountability, each of us doing our part to secure Kenya’s promise of prosperity.”