Hundreds of youth turn out to attend the memorial concert at Uhuru Park in Nairobi to honor the victims of police brutality during anti-government protests, as Kenyans mark Saba Saba Day.
Gen zs displayed the names of the 40+protest victims on crosses during Saba saba memorial memorial concert at Uhuru park.
July 7 is a historical day for Kenya. Dubbed SabaSaba, the day is commemorated yearly to relinquish memories of July 7, 1990 when nationwide protests took place in Kenya in to demand for multiparty democracy.
On the historic day, Kenya witnessed the largest nationwide protests which had been summoned by leaders including Kenneth Matiba and Charles Rubia. The leaders had been arrested a few days before. Over 20 people are reported to have died in the protest which left thousands injured. As a result, former President Daniel Moi’s government bowed to pressure and allowed political pluralism.
Young people, particularly university students led by their leaders, were essential in the fight for change in the 1980s and 1990s, although the presence of politicians generally eclipsed such protests.
Elderly politicians like Masinde Muliro, Martin Shikuku, and the Young Turks, James Orengo, Gitobu Imanyara, and Paul Muite, drove through Nairobi during the Saba Saba riots of 1990 while thousands of young people ran around the city demanding multi-party politics, equity, and a nation free of corruption.