NATIONAL ALTERNATIVE ALLIANCE DEMANDS URGENT ACTION AHEAD OF SABA SABA PROTESTS

By Victoria Movine

‎The National Alternative Alliance (NAA) has issued a powerful statement warning of deepening unrest and potential national crisis ahead of this year’s Saba Saba Day commemorations. In an open letter addressed to President William Ruto, the political movement calls for decisive leadership and urgent reforms to address mounting youth anger, human rights abuses, and economic despair across the country.

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‎This year's Saba Saba marks the 25th anniversary since Kenyans first took to the streets on July 7, 1990, demanding multiparty democracy. NAA warns that the same frustrations that drove citizens to protest then—governance failures, economic exclusion, and state brutality—are once again pushing the country to the brink.

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‎"Kenya is burning," the statement begins, accusing the government of steering the country into anarchy through failed leadership, police repression, and unaddressed corruption. NAA is demanding the immediate cessation of abductions and extrajudicial killings, the unconditional release of all arrested protestors, and compensation for victims of police brutality since 2024.

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‎The alliance has also proposed the creation of a multi-sectoral, civic-led national dialogue forum to address economic hardship, job creation, corruption, intergenerational divides, and youth exclusion. They called on Parliament to establish a special committee to examine the Gen Z-led protests that have swept the nation in recent weeks.

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‎Among the most serious allegations is a string of unresolved corruption scandals under the Kenya Kwanza administration. NAA cites numerous cases including the KEMSA mosquito nets scandal, the contaminated sugar and fuel scandals, and murky international deals such as the Adani Airport and Haiti deployment affairs. "Kenyans do not want lectures—they demand concrete action," the letter states.

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‎In a radical demand, NAA urges the president to sack top security officials including Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen, the heads of police and intelligence, and the Director of Criminal Investigations, blaming them for overseeing rampant human rights abuses and the suppression of dissent.

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‎To address the high youth unemployment fueling protests, NAA proposes the recruitment of 30,000 new personnel into the police and military, revival of youth funds, reinstatement of universal suffrage in student elections, and a stimulus plan to create 500,000 jobs for teachers and interns.

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‎The alliance also condemned the government’s continued intimidation of the media and civil society, urging a return to constitutionalism, public participation, and a people-centered midterm policy review.

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‎“The future of our nation and the hopes of millions, especially the youth, hang in the balance. We urge you to act now,” the statement concludes.

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‎The National Alternative Alliance joins a growing list of civil society actors, opposition leaders, and citizens demanding accountability and reform in the face of what many have described as Kenya’s worst governance crisis in recent memory. With Saba Saba protests looming, all eyes now turn to President Ruto’s next move.