UK-Based Civil Society Group Urges Police Restraint Ahead of Saba Saba Protests
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By Denis Wanyonyi
A United Kingdom-based civil society organisation, Equity and Justice, has called on Kenyan security agencies to uphold constitutional policing during the upcoming Saba Saba memorial demonstrations scheduled for Monday.
Speaking on behalf of the group, Chairperson Sebastian Onyango urged law enforcement to protect lives and property—particularly that of Generation Z youth—who are expected to take a central role in the protests.
“Security agencies must act within the law. We demand restraint, impartiality, and a firm commitment to safeguarding citizens’ rights, not silencing them,” Onyango said.
In a strongly worded statement titled “From Independence to Now: A Nation Stalked by State Violence,” Equity and Justice highlighted Kenya’s troubling legacy of police brutality, from the 1960s repression of dissent to recent acts of extrajudicial violence. The group cited the 2025 death in custody of Albert Ojwang and the June 17 shooting of peaceful demonstrators in Nairobi as evidence of a dangerous trend.
The statement condemned the National Police Service’s alleged use as a political tool, particularly under the Kenya Kwanza administration, warning against the suppression of civic expression.
“Article 37 of the Constitution guarantees the right to peaceful assembly, demonstration, picketing, and petition. These rights are not optional—they are sacrosanct,” read the release.
Equity and Justice outlined four demands to the police leadership:
- Publicly reaffirm commitment to constitutional policing.
- Refuse political misuse of the police force.
- Facilitate, not obstruct, peaceful demonstrations.
- Investigate and prosecute officers involved in abuses.
The statement concluded with a message to the police: “Your loyalty is to the Constitution and to the people—not to political power. The world is watching.”
As Kenya braces for Monday’s commemorations, calls for police accountability continue to grow louder, echoing a nation’s cry for justice and reform.
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