As Kenyans brace for the Saba Saba anniversary on Monday, tension remains high across the country following recent waves of protests that have turned violent.
Several schools have asked learners to stay at home, while some companies have advised staff to work remotely as a precaution.
The protests, largely led by Gen Z demanding accountability and better governance have been met with a heavy-handed police response.
Last month, some demonstrators were killed in Nairobi, as disturbing reports of abductions and enforced disappearances continue to surface.
Amid this backdrop, Kenyans in the diaspora are speaking out. The Justice and Equity Council (Kenya), headquartered in the United Kingdom, has issued a strongly worded statement condemning what it calls “a tragic legacy of police violence” in Kenya.
In their statement, the council led by Sebastian Onyango draws parallels between the current crackdown and decades of state-sponsored violence dating back to the post-independence era.
From the Nyayo House torture chambers of the 1980s to the post-election chaos of 2007/08, the council says Kenya’s security forces have too often been used to suppress dissent rather than protect the public.
“We call on the National Police Service and intelligence agencies to act within the Constitution. Do not be used as political weapons,” the council urges.
Citing the June 17 shooting of peaceful protesters and the death in custody of Albert Ojwang, the council warns that Kenya is drifting into a state where the police are feared more than they are trusted.
The diaspora group’s key demands include a public reaffirmation by police leadership of their commitment to constitutional policing, prosecution of officers implicated in rights violations, and non-interference in peaceful civic action.
“The demand for a more accountable and just society is not a threat to national security—it is a sign of democratic maturity,” the statement reads.
As Saba Saba commemorations loom, the group has also called on citizens to remain peaceful and on security agencies to act as protectors—not perpetrators—of public safety.
