Advertisement
Saba Saba chaos: Gakuya slams govt over roads barricade order
08th July, 2025 07:51 AM
Embakasi North Member of Parliament James Gakuya has come out strongly against the government’s handling of the Saba Saba protests, describing the actions of law enforcement as a “witch-hunt” targeting opposition supporters.
In a pointed critique, in a local TV station interview on July 8, 2025, Gakuya expressed disappointment that authorities seemed to have learnt little from previous demonstrations.
“I thought we had learnt, now that we dealt with the Gen Z demonstrations on June 25. I expected we would apply different handling mechanisms,” he said.
A major point of contention for the MP was the blockade of all roads leading to Nairobi’s Central Business District (CBD). “It is unfortunate that we witnessed the same approach. There was a complete lockdown of businesses in the CBD—I couldn’t even access my office,” Gakuya lamented.
He further criticised the complicated diversions and extensive roadblocks that paralysed city movement. “The routes were so complicated with long diversions. It was very horrible and inconveniencing,” he added.
Condemns violence
Gakuya also condemned the violence and looting witnessed in parts of Central Kenya, particularly in Murang’a. “We still witnessed looting. In Murang’a, a dealer alerted the police but was not protected. Goons looted goods worth millions for over two hours as police watched,” he claimed.
The MP expressed grave concern over the rising number of deaths linked to police actions during the protests. “We also witnessed death. Police are using shoot-to-kill tactics. Unfortunately, we are losing our youths. An officer is only allowed to shoot when in danger—not to kill arbitrarily,” he said, calling for restraint and accountability in crowd control measures.
Gakuya accused the government of misusing anti-terrorism laws to intimidate and silence opposition supporters. “This is now a witch-hunt, targeting opposition supporters and charging them with terrorism,” he said. He further alleged a pattern of re-arrests even after courts dismiss charges. “We’ve seen cases where, even after being released, youths are rearrested from police cells and charged afresh. The government seems determined to keep them locked up and extort bribes,” he claimed.
The MP called for national reflection on how to handle civil unrest without infringing on rights. “We must start a conversation on how to solve this crisis,” he urged.
Clearly frustrated, Gakuya questioned the path the country is taking. “Until when are we going to stomach this? This country has become unruly,” he concluded, urging a more humane and constitutional approach to handling dissent.
