Most young Facebook and Twitter generation are shouting about Saba
Saba, but majority don’t know what the day actually represents. On July 7,
1990, Kenyans responded to a call by Kenneth Matiba and Charles Rubia and went
to Kamukunji to press for constitutional, politico-legal and socio-economic
reforms.
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| Saba Saba demonstration, July 7, 1990 From Left: Gitobu Imanyara, James Orengo, Raila Odinga and Charles Rubia |
Their rallying cry was a demand for the return to political
pluralism, transparency and political accountability in the management of
public affairs after decades of oppression and bad governance by the then obdurate
Kanu regime, which had emasculated the civil and political rights of the
ordinary people, denied press freedoms and failed to embrace social and
economic reforms to cushion the majority poor from the effects of the World
Bank and IMF-driven Structural Adjustment Programmes.
More than 20 people died in the protests and a few days later
Matiba, Rubia, Raila Odinga and their lawyers John Khaminwa, Mohammed Ibrahim
and Gitobu Imanyara were detained.
Kenya returned to political pluralism in December 1991 following
the repeal of section 2(a) of the Constitution, which had made Kenya a
one-party State by law.
24 years later, we have witnessed key political milestones, the
ideals for which citizens died for are being realized and what we are lacking
is just a political good will to achieve 100% fulfillment. Honestly speaking,
We are now in multiparty political pluralism; the new constitution has
established systems and mechanism to check on transparency and accountability;
press freedoms, though threatened several times is fair compared to two decades
ago; we are no longer under the suffocation of IMF and World Bank and the
devolved governments if properly functioning will address most of the social
and economic challenges facing the people of Kenya.
We have a new constitutional order, which properly defines our
social, economic, political and legal establishment. Despite some areas of
weaknesses, the promulgation of this document was a milestone in our endeavor
as a nation to address the factors that led to Saba Saba riots 4 scores and 4 years
ago.
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| Kenneth Matiba, the initiator of Saba Saba |
Kenya is under siege, not by the ideals of 1990 Saba Saba riots,
but by ethnic power hungry demigods who have divided the populace for their own
political gain. Indeed, it’s divisive
politicking and ethnic chauvinism which have gotten us to the position we are in.
Kenyan politicians are not sincere. Yes, we understand that organized
crime, insecurity, corruption, high levels of unemployment, ethnicity, tribalism, social
inequality and inter-generational inequity and failure to address historical
injustice continue to bedevil our
nation.
However, with the new constitutional dispensation, it’s hypocrisy
of the highest level to evoke the spirit of Saba Saba in order to address the
same. We have established systems where redress can effectively be done if
there exists a political good will to.
What will be the demands of Saba Saba which have not been achieved
24 years later? Political populism that has swayed the blind masses is a tragic
happening in our country. We are always in the electioneering mood year in year
out at the expense of development.
I doubt whether Saba Saba that was defined by riots and killings
of 20 demonstrators in 1990, will be held peacefully in 2014, considering the
fire breathed by Cord lieutenants in their rallies and social media, days
before the event.
I feel that politicians as usual want to abuse the spirit of Saba
Saba to sabotage government for their own political gain. Tragically, Kenyans
are blindly swayed by political euphoria year in year out. We need to change
our mindset and realize that these political demigods are raping our psychology
for their own selfish political interests.