Former Makueni governor Kivutha Kibwana has criticised Kenya’s political leadership, saying it has lost direction and betrayed the spirit of the country’s pro-democracy struggles.
“Leadership must rethink and understand that this is not the Kenya we expected,” he said during a live call on NTV, as Kenyans marked this year’s Saba Saba Day under tight security.
Kibwana, who was part of the 1990s push for democratic reforms, questioned how those once in opposition and fighting for civil liberties had now become part of the confusion.
“Opposition and civil society groups in the 1990s went to the streets for a better Kenya,” he said.
He was particularly critical of Raila Odinga’s plan to lead commemorations at Kamukunji Grounds, given the current political alignment.
“How will people go to Kamukunji?” he asked.
“Raila indicated he will go to Kamukunji, but now roads are closed. It’s like the government is demonstrating against itself because Raila is in government.”
Kibwana also condemned a violent attack at the Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC) offices in Nairobi on Sunday.
Armed goons stormed a press conference organized by Kenyan mothers ahead of Saba Saba Day, disrupting the event and stealing electronic equipment.
Some of those present, including journalists, lost personal items during the attack.
He called the incident a sign of shrinking civic space in a country that once celebrated its democratic gains.
“This kind of intimidation and disruption is unacceptable, especially when it targets people exercising their freedom of expression,” Kibwana said.
The former governor further shared his own experience on Monday morning, saying police roadblocks had blocked his access to the Nairobi Central Business District.
“I tried to access Nairobi CBD via Ngong Road and Langata Road but both were closed by police,” he said.
“I opted to turn around and go back home.”
Saba Saba, Swahili for "Seven Seven," is marked every July 7 to remember the 1990 protests that forced the government of the day to open up political space and allow multiparty democracy.
But Kibwana warned that the day’s meaning was being distorted by leaders using it for unclear or self-serving agendas.
His remarks came as opposition leader Raila Odinga urged Kenyans to mark the day peacefully by gathering at Kamukunji Grounds. Odinga said the event would be a tribute to those who died fighting for democratic reforms.
“If we are going to remember Saba Saba, then let’s go to Kamukunji. The road should lead to Kamukunji,” Odinga had said during a Sunday briefing.
However, Kibwana dismissed such statements as disconnected from the reality on the ground. With streets closed and security tightened, he questioned how citizens were expected to commemorate a day of freedom in the face of government restrictions.
“This is not the Kenya we expected,” he repeated, adding that the legacy of those who fought for democracy must not be overshadowed by political theatrics or violence.
