Patmoz
By Njeri Irungu
NAIROBI, Kenya – July 1, 2025
As the country nears the 25th anniversary of the historic Saba Saba demonstrations, the National Alternative Alliance (NAA) has issued a bold and urgent appeal to President William Ruto, warning that the nation is on the brink of collapse unless decisive leadership is shown. In a strongly worded statement titled “Saba Saba Demonstrations and the Way Forward on National Unrest,” the NAA paints a dire picture of the current state of the country, citing widespread unrest, youth-led protests, and what it terms as a dangerous erosion of constitutional freedoms.
The letter, addressed directly to the Head of State, accuses the government of presiding over a nation sliding into anarchy. “Kenya is burning,” the NAA warns, lamenting that the dreams enshrined in the Constitution and fought for by the nation’s forebears are rapidly being extinguished.
The Alliance has linked the current national unrest to deep-rooted grievances including mass youth unemployment, economic hardship, systemic corruption, and egregious human rights violations. It expresses alarm at the rising tide of public anger, particularly among Kenya’s youth, whose recent street protests have shaken the country’s political establishment.
With the Saba Saba anniversary only six days away, the NAA draws a symbolic connection between the current demonstrations and the pro-democracy protests of July 7, 1990. Back then, Kenyans marched for multiparty democracy. Today, says the NAA, young people are once again marching — this time for dignity, justice, and accountability.
The Alliance is now calling on President Ruto to urgently defuse the tension and prevent what it describes as an imminent national catastrophe. Central to its demands is an immediate halt to abductions, extrajudicial killings, and the criminalization of dissent. The NAA is also urging the government to drop all charges against protestors arrested under Article 37 of the Constitution and to unconditionally release them.
Further, the Alliance wants the state to take responsibility for lives lost and injuries sustained during protests since 2024. It has proposed that the government compensate affected families and waive hospital and mortuary fees for all victims of police brutality.
In addition, the NAA is demanding that senior state officials implicated in violence against civilians — including law enforcement officers, political figures, and government operatives — be investigated and interdicted. The group also criticizes incendiary statements from state actors and warns that they only serve to deepen public mistrust and escalate tensions.
Importantly, the Alliance is calling for the immediate depoliticization of Kenya’s security forces and the cessation of state intimidation of the media and civil society. It proposes the creation of a parliamentary committee to review the Gen Z-led demonstrations and recommend responsive policy interventions.
Among its more far-reaching proposals, the NAA is pushing for the urgent formation of a national dialogue platform that is civic-led, time-bound, and inclusive of diverse sectors of society. The forum, they say, should address a range of pressing issues, including economic inequality, generational divides, corruption, youth unemployment, and the exclusion of young people from public decision-making.
The letter also takes aim at the Kenya Kwanza administration’s performance, arguing that many appointees have failed to deliver and that recycling the same individuals into leadership roles has yielded little progress. It calls on President Ruto to conduct a radical midterm policy review, rooted in authentic public engagement, to recalibrate government priorities in line with the people’s aspirations.
Perhaps the most damning section of the letter is the Alliance’s call for the dismissal of top security bosses — including the Interior Cabinet Secretary, the Inspector General of Police and his deputies, the Director of Criminal Investigations, and the Director of the National Intelligence Service. According to the NAA, their continued presence in office only fuels public outrage and undermines trust in the rule of law.
“No Head of State should carry such a burden,” the NAA warns, urging President Ruto to usher in a new team capable of restoring order, safeguarding rights, and renewing public faith in government institutions.
As Kenya approaches yet another historic Saba Saba Day, the call by the NAA is a reflection of growing public anxiety and a clear message that many Kenyans believe urgent reforms are not just necessary, but long overdue. The ball, they say, is now firmly in the President’s court.
Shadrack Nyakoe
