Kisii youth turn Saba Saba protests into a carnival of play and defiance

What began as a day marked for political demonstrations turned into an unexpected carnival of colour, laughter, and youthful defiance, as the streets of Kisii town transformed into a vibrant playground on Saba Saba Day.
By mid-morning, on Monday, July 7, 2025, the usual tension of protest was softened by the sight of young men and women skipping ropes, using jerrican to play football, spinning old bicycle tires with sticks, and engaging in fast-paced rounds of blada, a local hopscotch variant on the hot tarmac outside the Kisii Municipal Market.
The air, humid with the promise of rain, pulsed with energy, not anger. Instead of fiery chants, there were shouts of encouragement as teams took sides in a spirited match of street football, played with a rag-stuffed plastic jerrican. Some in sandals and carefree, squealed as they chased after kites.
“Ukicheza na future yetu, tutaicheza pia!” (If you play with our future, we’ll play with it too!).
Vendors, momentarily distracted from their daily grind, joined the rhythm. Women ululated from balconies as a makeshift sack race began near Nyanchwa Road, drawing cheers from passersby and honking boda boda riders. Paint-smeared faces, whistles, and handclaps replaced the expected clouds of tear gas.
Behind the laughter was something deeper—a message wrapped in mirth.
“This is our way of resisting without rage. We want change, but we also want joy,” a male voice heard on a viral video.
Police presence was minimal, their usual stance softened by the unexpected turn of events. A few officers looked on, bemused, their batons at rest as they watched youths play.

Police roadblocks
Meanwhile, in Nairobi, residents were met with massive disruptions and widespread frustration on Monday, July 7, 2025, morning as police mounted roadblocks on major highways and access routes into the Central Business District.
The roadblocks were erected ahead of the anticipated Saba Saba Day commemorations.
Despite the government’s insistence that July 7 would remain a normal working day, security agencies launched a citywide lockdown in a bid to thwart potential protests.
The move appeared aimed at preventing demonstrators from infiltrating the CBD under disguise.