A video has emerged showing protesters shutting down the busy Thika Superhighway during Tuesday’s Saba Saba Day protests.
The images capture the exact moment when hundreds of demonstrators took over the major thoroughfare, bringing traffic to a complete halt and turning the highway into a no-go zone for several hours.
Saba Saba Day is marked as one of the most enduring symbols of the struggle for democracy, good governance, and constitutionalism in Kenya. The significance of Saba Saba has evolved from an outlawed pro-democracy rally into a lasting reminder of resistance against authoritarian rule.
Thirty-six years after the original demonstrations challenged the foundations of President Daniel arap Moi’s one-party government, the day continues to shape Kenya’s political journey.
The term Saba Saba is the Kiswahili phrase for Seven Seven, meaning the seventh day of the seventh month, July 7. For many Kenyans, however, the day represents far more than just a date on the calendar. It has become synonymous with the fight for political freedoms, constitutionalism, accountability, and democratic governance. It is a day when citizens remember the sacrifices of those who fought for multiparty democracy and reflect on how far the country has come.
On Tuesday, thousands of Kenyans took to the streets of Nairobi to mark the historic day. They were determined to exercise their constitutional right to peaceful assembly and to remind the government of its obligations to the people. But they were met with heavy resistance from law enforcement officers. Rogue Kenyan police officers were deployed in large numbers, and they moved in swiftly to disperse the crowds using tear gas and batons.
Despite the heavy police presence, the protesters managed to block the Thika Superhighway for some hours, disrupting traffic along the busy highway. Motorists were stranded for hours as the demonstrators stood their ground, waving placards and chanting slogans demanding better governance and an end to police brutality.
Videos circulating online show the sheer scale of the protest, with the usually bustling highway reduced to a standstill.
https://twitter.com/citynews254/status/2074491424892915892/video/1
