NAIROBI, Kenya — Protesters are marching toward Nairobi’s Central Business District, chanting and demanding accountability as the Gen Z-led Saba Saba movement surges into the capital’s core.
Despite a city gripped by roadblocks, teargas, and a huge police presence, the crowd pushed forward, winding through traffic and growing in size as onlookers joined in.
The protest is fueled by frustration over governance, police brutality, and political indifference.
Earlier this morning, police had sealed off more than 16 major roads, from Thika Road to Uhuru Highway, in what many called an illegal move — especially given a court order barring the use of roadblocks to suppress protests.
In scenes reminiscent of Nairobi’s past struggles for political reform, today’s marchers are mostly young, digital-first Kenyans — many of whom have never participated in physical protests before.
But what began on TikTok and Instagram has now moved into real streets with real demands.
And it’s not just Nairobi. In Wote Town, protesters lit bonfires and blocked roads with stones.
In Kiserian, protesters engaged in running battles with police, clouds of teargas, and tyre fires.
In Mombasa, the central business district was turned into a no-go zone by riot police. And now, from Ngara to the CBD, the capital itself is feeling the full weight of a youth movement that refuses to be ignored.
There’s no mistaking the symbolism of the march route. Ngara is more than just a neighborhood — it’s a gateway. And today, that gateway is wide open for a generation pushing its way into the heart of power.
Government officials have tried to maintain a posture of control, urging civil servants to report to work and promising order.
But on the ground, order looks more like resistance, and the youth aren’t backing down.
What happens next? That’s anyone’s guess. But right now, Nairobi isn’t just watching history — it’s marching through it.
