Kioni: This regime is more fearful than Moi’s administration
Jubilee Party Secretary General Jeremiah Kioni has drawn sharp comparisons between the current Kenya Kwanza administration and the regime of former President Daniel Arap Moi, claiming that today’s government is displaying a greater level of fear and insecurity in the face of public protests.
Speaking on Monday, July 7, 2025, Kioni pointed to the presence of unidentified goons seen on the streets during recent demonstrations as a clear indication of the government’s panic.
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He noted that even during Moi’s era—widely remembered for its authoritarian grip and the brutal force used by police to crush dissent—there was a certain structure in how the state responded to protestors.
The response then, he said, was primarily handled by the police, not faceless individuals engaging in intimidation and violence.
“What they were fighting for and what we got in our constitution is being taken away by Ruto and his group, and we must fight for it. when we see goons on the street, it means that this government is more fearful than the Moi government. At least we were dealing with police officers, but this government are hiring goons to come and clobber our own children.” Kioni said.
Kioni further aligned the Jubilee Party with the ongoing Saba Saba demonstrations, which have gained momentum across various counties. He framed the protests as a continuation of the legacy left behind by pioneers of Kenya’s multi-party democracy.
According to him, demonstrators today are following in the footsteps of leaders like Charles Rubia, whose efforts helped secure the political freedoms enshrined in the current constitution.
However, the Jubilee Secretary-General expressed concern that those hard-won gains are now under threat.
He accused the current regime of systematically rolling back constitutional rights and using fear tactics to suppress citizens demanding accountability, transparency, and better governance.
Jubilee’s statement on Sabasaba
This take from Kioni came after he issued a statement on behalf of the Jubilee Party on the ongoing Sabasaba protests, where he noted that this day serves as a reminder of the brutal era under the KANU regime, where state machinery was used to violently suppress citizens who took to the streets demanding political freedom, accountability, and an end to one-party rule.
Despite the repression, the determination of those who fought for democracy eventually led to the removal of Section 2A, opening the political space in the country.
Kioni drew parallels between the repressive tactics of the past and the current situation in the country. He pointed out that while the 2010 Constitution guarantees every Kenyan the right to protest, the current administration has chosen to disregard those rights, instead using force and intimidation to silence dissent.
“The government then, as now, met those brave Kenyans with brutal force, arbitrary arrests, detention, torture and even death,” he added
