As Kenya braces for the anticipated Saba Saba protests on Monday, July 7, the Motorists Association of Kenya (MAK) has issued a stern set of demands to the government and the National Police Service (NPS), emphasizing the constitutional right to protest and calling for an end to police brutality.
The association’s statement, released on Saturday, July 5, highlights a critical need for police professionalism and the protection of citizens during demonstrations, drawing sharp contrasts with the violent crackdown witnessed during the June 25 Gen Z protests.
MAK states that the right to protest is enshrined in Article 37 of the Constitution of Kenya and is not a “favour” granted by the government. Their core demands include ensuring safe passage for peaceful protesters, shielding them from “hired goons and criminals,” and safeguarding businesses and public transport to allow commerce to continue unimpeded.
The association explicitly urged the police to cease using excessive force, tear gas, or live ammunition on unarmed citizens, citing the June 25 events where police allegedly became “the very threat from which Kenyans needed protection”.
The demands come amidst conflicting statements from authorities. Police Spokesperson Muchiri Nyaga recently stated that the NPS had not received formal notification for the Saba Saba protests, urging organizers to seek permits to avoid “illegal protests” that often descend into chaos.
However, human rights organizations, including Amnesty International Kenya and Human Rights Watch, have consistently documented widespread police abuses during past protests, including extrajudicial killings, arbitrary arrests, and the indiscriminate use of tear gas, often in residential areas and near schools.
The lack of accountability for these past violations, as highlighted in a recent report, may have emboldened police actions.
MAK’s call for police to act as a “service and not a force” resonates with broader public sentiment and echoes the historical significance of Saba Saba Day, which since 1990 has been a rallying cry for pro-democracy movements and political accountability in Kenya.
The association’s demands reflect a growing insistence on upholding human rights and ensuring that future demonstrations are facilitated peacefully, rather than suppressed violently.
