Lockdown, bloodshed and abductions mark Saba Saba
By Reuben Mwambingu and Rawlings Otieno, July 8, 2025Kenya, on July 7, 2025, woke up to a jarring reality reminiscent of the COVID-19 lockdown era defined by empty streets, heavy police presence, and a wave of panic across major towns.
By mid-afternoon, what began as peaceful Saba Saba protests had descended into mourning in parts of the country, with at least five people reported dead.
In Nakuru, a man was shot dead during a confrontation with anti-riot police.
In Kitengela, Kajiado County, another man was felled by two bullets—one to the neck, another to the chest—allegedly fired by police. He later succumbed to his injuries while undergoing treatment at a local public hospital.
At the same time, reports of abductions in Mombasa painted a grim picture of the state’s response.
In one incident near Uhuru Gardens next to the iconic Mapembeni tusks—a man who had gone live on social media was seen being bundled into a white Probox by individuals believed to be plainclothes officers. The scene, captured on camera, sparked outrage.
Several other people were reportedly picked up in a similar fashion, prompting accusations of excessive force and unlawful arrests.
“Our colleagues have been picked up by people in civilian clothes claiming to be police. This is barbaric. We are giving authorities one hour to produce them—dead or alive. If they are dead, we want to see their bodies,” said a protester, James Ogare.
He questioned the rationale behind using heavy-handed tactics to suppress demonstrations.
“We cannot afford to buy fear. We are broke—too broke to buy fear. We notified police about the protest, and they declined citing security concerns. But is it our job to secure ourselves? Don’t we pay taxes for that?” Ogare posed.
However, Mombasa County Police Commander Peter Kimani denied any knowledge of abductions or unlawful arrests.
Criminal elements
He defended the heavy police deployment, saying protesters had no valid reason to demonstrate and that intelligence reports indicated plans by criminal elements to infiltrate the procession.
“On June 25, their concerns were valid. But today, they have no justifiable cause. Our intelligence showed that goons planned to hijack the protest, and even in previous demos, the organizers were unable to control such elements. That’s why the crackdown was necessary. So far, however, things are under control,” Kimani told journalists.
Protest organisers had issued a formal notification for a peaceful march from Saba Saba–Mwembe Tayari through Fontanella to Uhuru Gardens. But police swiftly moved to block the procession, citing security threats.
In a letter addressed to lead convener Bradley Ouna, Central Police Station OCS Sylvester Wambua stated that authorities had received intelligence indicating that criminals were planning to exploit the event to cause chaos.
“In the interest of peace and the stability of this coastal tourist town, it is not advisable for you to proceed with the procession,” read the letter.
On Saturday, Ouna and fellow activist Evans Momanyo were arrested and held for more than six hours over alleged links to the planned protest. Both denied inciting violence, insisting the demonstration was peaceful and within the law.
Police on July 7, 2025, barricaded all roads leading to Nairobi CBD. A similar pattern played out across several towns in Kenya.
Empty roads, shops closed and unusually silent streets of the normally busy and bustling city in the sun.
Despite the government’s assurances that the Saba Saba Day would be a normal working day, Nairobi’s CBD was a no-go zone.
Essential service providers
On Sunday, Public Service and Human Capital Development Cabinet Secretary Geoffrey Ruku had warned all civil servants to report to work, the challenge was how they were going to get to work, thanks to a lockdown of the entire city.
By about 4 am, security agencies had locked down the city. No one was allowed to drive in unless providing essential services.
All roads leading into the CBD-Mombasa Road, Thika Road, and Waiyaki Way and their arteries were sealed off by anti-riot police as a precaution, allowing only government vehicles and emergency service providers.
Businesses remained shut, public transport stayed off the roads and residents who throng the CBD for various engagements stayed at home.
The Gen Zs behind the #SabaSaba2025 and the #77 NiNumbers hashtags had, for the better part of the morning, staged a completely peaceful shutdown.
Running battles
In Kamkunji where ODM leader Raila Odinga was expected to attend commemoration of the historic 1990 Saba Saba demos, the youths were engaging the police in running battles.
Raila did not go to Kamukunji but opted to address a press conference at Serena Hotel.
President William Ruto who in the run-up to the 2022 polls promised economic transformation is now facing mounting discontent with millions of youths still jobless and the cost of living high.
Addressing the press at Serena Hotel, Raila was flanked by key ODM leaders, including Suna East MP Junet Mohammed, Alego Usonga MP Samuel Atandi, and Kileleshwa MCA Robert Alai.
The ODM leader clarified that the decision to call off the rally was necessitated by the roadblocks mounted across key entry and exit points of Nairobi.
According to Raila, the roadblocks not only disrupted the free movement of citizens but also made it impossible for him and his supporters to access the Kamukunji grounds.