Raila gives reason for cancelling Kamukunji Saba Saba rally
By Mabonga Makhanu, July 7, 2025Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga has revealed the reason behind the abrupt cancellation of the much-anticipated Kamukunji rally, which was scheduled to mark this year’s Sabasaba Day.
Addressing the press at Serena Hotel, Raila was flanked by key ODM leaders, including Suna East MP Junet Mohammed, Alego Usonga MP Samuel Atandi, and Kileleshwa MCA Robert Alai. The ODM leader clarified that the decision to call off the rally was necessitated by the heavy roadblocks mounted across key entry and exit points of Nairobi.
According to Raila, these roadblocks not only disrupted the free movement of citizens but also made it impossible for him and his supporters to access the Kamukunji grounds.
“I was to go to Kamukunji to join other Kenyans in commemorating this very important day. Unfortunately, as you all know, circumstances today are roadblocks all over town, which have made it difficult for people to move to Kamukunji.’’ Raila said.
According to Raila, these roadblocks not only disrupted the free movement of citizens but also made it impossible for him and his supporters to access the Kamukunji grounds. He further said that in response to this, he was forced to address the nation at the Serena Hotel.
During the presser, Raila issued a raft of proposals required to quell the public anger against the current regime. part of his proposals Raila wants the outcomes of the NADCO report to be subjected to a referendum.
His earlier call
On July 6, 2025, Raila Odinga, the leader of the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), had called for Kenyans to gather at Kamukunji Grounds in Nairobi on July 7, 2025, to commemorate the 35th anniversary of the historic Sabasaba protests of 1990.
He emphasised that the event was not intended for protests or demonstrations but to honour those who lost their lives during the 1990 push for multiparty democracy.
Raila, who was detained during the original Sabasaba crackdown, highlighted Kamukunji’s historical significance as the site of key rallies for Kenya’s democratic struggles, including the 1952 Kenyan African Union meeting before the declaration of the state of emergency.