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The term Saba Saba (Seven-Seven) entered Kenya’s political lexicon during the inaugural civil disobedience exploit of July 7, 1990. This article explores the Saba Saba tradition from 1990 to the present. To properly unravel the Saba Saba spirit, one must examine its three phases: those of 1990, 1997 and 2023-2026.
The masterminds of the maiden 1990 Saba Saba held at the historic Kamkunji Grounds, Nairobi were Keneth Nyindo Matiba, Charles Rubia, Jaramogi Oginga Odinga and others with the support of ‘Young Turks’ as well a group of civil society champions and university dons and student leaders.
Reverend Dr. Timothy Murere Njoya fired an opening salvo through his 1990 New Year Sermon by prophetically calling for constitutional change and Kenya’s return to political pluralism. Other clergy subsequently amplified his voice and courage. Later Njoya was to suffer at the hands and boots of the state.
The November 9, 1989 collapse of the Berlin Wall and eventual thawing of the Cold War led the West to discontinue supporting their erstwhile client dictatorial regimes in Africa. By 1990, Kenya had experienced only about 5 years of limping multi-party politics and 22 of one-party authoritarianism.
