Popular Blankets And Wine Concert Postponed Over Protests

The organisers of the iconic concert series, Blankets and Wine, have announced that the event scheduled for Sunday, July 7 has been postponed.

In a statement released on Thursday, July 4, the organisers revealed that they had been holding day-to-day briefings with its security teams in order to prepare effectively for the event's next edition, which was set for July 7.

The move to reschedule was informed by the events that have been unfolding across the country, with the current political atmosphere on that day informing their latest move, which now sees the event pushed to Sunday, July 28.

"We bear heavy news that after extensive consultations, we do not have the necessary security clearance to proceed with Blankets & Wine this coming Sunday. Due to the politically charged nature of 7th July, there is a potentially significant threat to life & property including but not limited to road closures, flash protests, and infiltration after dusk, among others.

Attendees at a past Blankets & Wine concert. /BLANKETS & WINE

"On this solid intel, we have made the unprecedented decision to reschedule this upcoming edition of Blankets & Wine to 28th July 2024," the statement read in part.

The event organisers, while recognising the absolute inconvenience for all, however, assured that the safety of the attendees, vendors, suppliers, partners and working teams comes first.

"All purchased tickets are valid for 28th July 2024. However if you cannot make it, you can transfer your tickets to either 6th October 2024 or 22nd December 2024 (Nairobi) or 29th September or 15th December (Kampala) by reaching out to us on DM or emailing info@blanketsandwine.com.

"We will continue to stay vigilant and communicate with you in case any changes arise before the new date," the statement continued.

July 7 happens to be Saba Saba Day, which is remembered as the day when nationwide protests took place.

On July 7 1990, Kenyans took to the streets to demand free elections. The politicians who had called for the protests, Kenneth Matiba and Charles Rubia, were arrested days before the protest day.

In present-day Kenya, Saba Saba has taken on a new meaning, with human rights defenders (HRDs) and civil society organisations such as Inuka Kenya Ni Sisi, Kenya Human Rights Commission, National Coalition for Human Rights Defenders, the Social Justice Centres' Working Group and Mathare Social Justice Center among others asking for respect of the constitution, an end to police brutality and killings, advocating for a favourable legal and policy environment in Kenya.

This is now the third event to be either rescheduled or cancelled since the protests against the Finance Bill began on June 18.

Coincidentally, the 2024 Nairobi City Marathon which was lined up for the same day was postponed, though to September 8, 2024.

“The postponement has been occasioned by unavoidable, external circumstances beyond the control of the organizing committee,” the statement by the organisers read in part.

The committee added that thousands of athletes who had already registered for the event had proposed for it to be shelved to a later date.

On Thursday, June 27, the Global Peace Foundation released a statement following the cancellation of its opening ceremony which President William Ruto was meant to attend on Wednesday, June 26, with the unpredictability of the protests likely leading to more event cancellations in the future.