Monday, July 7, 2025
Nairobi – (Horn Africa News) – Kenya Railways has suspended its 10 PM Madaraka Express passenger service from Mombasa to Nairobi, citing “technical issues.” The move, announced late Saturday, comes just hours before nationwide demonstrations planned for Saba Saba Day, fueling speculation that the suspension is part of broader efforts to limit public mobilization.
Saba Saba Day, observed annually on July 7, commemorates the 1990 pro-democracy protests that forced the introduction of multiparty politics in Kenya. This year, the day has taken on added significance amid deepening economic hardship, soaring youth unemployment, and mounting allegations of state brutality. Civil society organizations, opposition parties, and grassroots movements have called for demonstrations across the country to demand reforms and accountability.
The suspension of the Nairobi-bound night train—a popular, affordable means of long-distance travel—has sparked outrage on social media. Many Kenyans accused the government of deliberately seeking to block protesters from reaching the capital.
“The government would rather forgo SGR revenue than risk an empowered youth,” posted activist Carter Wyne on X (formerly Twitter), reflecting widespread frustration.
Another user questioned the timing of the suspension:
“Why cancel only the Nairobi-bound train and not others? This is clearly about stopping the protests.”
The controversy over the train service adds to rising tension after disturbing scenes in Nairobi on Saturday. A peaceful press conference by Kenyan mothers and human rights defenders at the Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC) offices was violently disrupted by masked assailants armed with rungus and pickaxes. The event aimed to highlight cases of extrajudicial killings and disappearances and to call for an end to police violence ahead of Saba Saba protests.
The Law Society of Kenya (LSK) and the Police Reforms Working Group (PRWG) jointly condemned the attack, describing it as “a grave assault on Kenya’s constitutional freedoms and democratic principles.”
“The targeting of human rights defenders, journalists, and mourning mothers is unacceptable and indicative of a deliberate attempt to intimidate civil society,” their statement read.
This incident came just two days after the controversial deportation of Martin Mavenjina, a Ugandan national and senior program advisor at KHRC, which rights groups say reflects an escalating pattern of harassment aimed at silencing dissent.
Kenya Railways has maintained that the decision to suspend the train was purely for technical reasons, stressing its commitment to passenger safety. Yet with tensions running high, many fear these actions collectively point to increasing state overreach.
“From deporting human rights workers to sending goons after grieving mothers—this is not the Kenya we fought for on Saba Saba,” posted another user. “History is watching.”
As Kenyans mark this historic day, all eyes are on how the state responds to calls for justice, accountability, and democratic freedoms.
