Salasya says Gen-Z carrying on Kenya’s long fight for justice
By Nancy Marende, July 8, 2025Mumias East Member of Parliament (MP) Peter Salasya has lauded Gen Z for taking up the mantle in the country’s long-standing struggle for justice, freedom, and accountability.
In a statement after the Saba Saba commemorations on Tuesday, July 8, 2025, Salasya drew powerful historical parallels, describing the current youth-led movement as the latest chapter in a 90-year continuum of resistance against oppression and inequality.
Salasya highlighted the early resistance of Harry Thuku, who boldly opposed British land expropriation and was arrested during the Thuku Riots of the 1930s.
He then traced the arc of resistance through the 1960s independence movement led by Jomo Kenyatta and Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, acknowledging that while independence was achieved, post-colonial leadership soon devolved into ethnic patronage and authoritarianism.
The MP noted how, in the 1990s, another wave of reformists, including Mwai Kibaki, Kenneth Matiba, and Raila Odinga, led the charge against the one-party dictatorship under President Moi, resulting in the return of multiparty democracy in 1991.
/X
Furthermore, Salasya applauded the courage and clarity of Kenya’s youth, who have taken to the streets to demand jobs, accountability, and an end to political dynasties.
He emphasised that their calls are not acts of rebellion but a transformative demand for a new social contract, one rooted in fairness, transparency, and the dignity of all citizens.
“This youth-led uprising is not mere dissent; it is a transformative call for jobs, integrity in public service, equitable resource allocation, and a new social contract anchored in justice, inclusion, and transparency,” he stated.
Saba Saba protests
At least eleven people died, 52 were injured, and 567 were arrested during the demonstrations marking the 35th anniversary of the historic Saba Saba protests of July 7, 1990, which launched Kenya’s push for multi-party democracy.
From early in the morning, hundreds of commuters and overnight travellers were stranded at checkpoints, some more than 10 kilometres from the city centre, with only a few vehicles allowed through.
Roads leading to key government institutions, including the president’s official residence, State House, and the Kenyan parliament, were barricaded with razor wire.
Some schools advised students to stay at home.
But clashes broke out in parts of Nairtobi as demonstrators lit fires and attempted to breach police cordons. Officers responded with tear gas and water cannons.