July 7 became the date Kenyan protesters in the 1990s used to steer the country clear of autocracy and toward political accountability. In 2025, that spirit may be more relevant than ever.

"The striking similarity between the Gen Z protests of 2024-25 and the Saba Saba protests of the '90s is that both were centered on a clamor for better leadership," analyst Mutuma Kithinji tells DW.

"It was the day people came out in open defiance of a brutal dictatorship," says human rights activist Wanjira Wanjiru. "It was a day we reclaimed our voice."

By 1990, Kenya had known just two leaders, despite gaining independence on December 12, 1963. Daniel arap Moi had led Kenya for 12 years by exploiting intense ethnic-based rivalry, and Kenya effectively became a one-party state increasingly known for kleptocracy, corruption and state abuse.

But extensive protests, the end of the Cold War, and a stagnating economy tempered Moi's grip on power. When two cabinet ministers, Kenneth Matiba and Charles Rubia, were detained without trial, the first Saba Saba protests erupted in July 1990. Twenty people were arrested and 1,056 people were charged, although no law enforcement officials faced prosecution.

Protesters wanted a multi-party democracy, and despite state repression, Moi caved. While the resulting 1992 and 1997 elections were marred by violence and vote rigging, Moi's seemingly untouchable power was checked.

Nairobian Eliza Njoroge says........

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