The National Council of Churches of Kenya (NCCK) has urged security agencies to practice restraint ahead of the planned Saba Saba protests set to be held on Monday, July 7, 2025.
In a statement on Sunday, July 6, 2025, NCCK raised concerns over the growing trend of what they termed as the State blatantly, violently, and illegally denying Kenyans the right to picket.
It lamented the recent fatal shootings of peaceful protesters and the Interior Cabinet Secretary (CS) Kipchumba Murkomen’s shoot-to-kill orders, which pose a great threat to the freedom of protest in Kenya.
The churches demanded that police officers act within the confines of the National Police Service Act and provide adequate security to all peaceful and unarmed demonstrators.
“The police must not facilitate or partner with the armed goons who have been terrorising Kenyans and should instead arrest them together with their financiers,” read the statement in part.
“Equally disturbing is the wanton destruction of public infrastructure and private businesses during protest acts that go unpunished, raising suspicions of police complicity.”
NCCK said that the inaction of law enforcement in the cases could imply collusion between them and the police, as the original statements noted. The silence and failure to pursue justice in these instances erode public trust in institutions meant to uphold law and order.
It also demanded that CS Murkomen withdraw his statement and be prepared to carry responsibility for all extrajudicial killings done by the police.
Similarly, it also called for the withdrawal of the controversial Public Order Bill sponsored by Nairobi Woman representative Esther Passaris, which proposes limitations on the premises of holding protests.
SabaSaba is remembered as the day nationwide protests took place on July 7, 1990, when Kenyans took to the streets to demand free elections and the approval of multiparty democracy in Kenya.
A particularly alarming concern raised by the NCCK is the documented collaboration between the police and armed goons who have consistently attacked, beaten, robbed, and even raped peaceful protestors. Rather than protecting citizens, certain officers are seen as actively undermining their safety.
“The police must not facilitate or partner with the armed goons who have been terrorising Kenyans and should instead arrest them together with their financiers,” read the statement.
