Ruto Orders Leg Shootings As Protest Death Toll Rises In Kenya
Kenyan President William Ruto has ordered police officers to shoot protesters in the legs if they target businesses, a sharp escalation following the deaths of 31 people during nationwide demonstrations.
The directive, delivered in Nairobi, comes as public anger deepens over economic hardship, corruption, and allegations of police brutality.
“They should not kill them but they should shoot their legs so they break and they can go to hospital on their way to court,” Ruto stated, defending the move as necessary to discourage violent unrest.
The protests intensified on Monday, coinciding with Saba Saba Day—a historic date marking Kenya’s 1990 movement for multiparty democracy.
According to the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights, 107 people were injured and 31 died, raising the overall death toll from the past two months of unrest to 51.
Initially driven by opposition to a proposed tax increase, the youth-led movement has evolved into broader demands for reform and for Ruto to resign.
Despite withdrawing the finance bill and reshuffling most of his Cabinet, the government’s actions have not quelled public discontent.
Ruto accused his political opponents of orchestrating the protests and labelled those attacking police and public institutions as terrorists.
“Those who attack our police, those who attack our security men and women, those who attack our security installations, including police stations—that is a declaration of war, that is terrorism.
“We are going to deal with you firmly. We cannot have a nation that is run by terror… This country will not be destroyed by a few people who are impatient and who want to have a change of government using unconstitutional means,” he said.
His statements echoed earlier remarks from Interior Minister Kipchumba Murkomen, who instructed police officers to shoot anyone approaching stations “with criminal intent.”
Human rights concerns have escalated as children continue to be caught in the violence. UNICEF condemned the killing of a 12-year-old girl by a stray bullet while she was at home in Kiambu County, and criticised the arrest of minors during protests.
“Children must be protected from harm at all times and under all circumstances,” the agency said.
Public outrage intensified after a teacher who had reportedly criticised a senior police officer on social media died in police custody, followed by the close-range shooting of another protester.
As reported by The Guardian, tensions between Ruto’s administration and former allies have worsened.
Opposition leader Rigathi Gachagua, who previously served as Ruto’s deputy, denied allegations of financing violent unrest and dismissed accusations of a plot to overthrow the government.
“We want to remove you … through the ballot in 2027,” he said, urging the public to boycott businesses affiliated with the current regime.
His comments reflect growing frustration among Kenyans who feel disillusioned by Ruto’s failure to deliver on his campaign promises.
The United Nations expressed grave concern over the rising number of deaths and emphasised that law enforcement should use lethal force only when it is absolutely necessary to protect life from an imminent threat.
Meanwhile, looting and property destruction linked to the demonstrations have impacted thousands of businesses across the country.
Ruto now faces a mounting credibility challenge. Elected on a platform promising economic relief and inclusion, his administration is accused of meeting civil dissent with force rather than dialogue.
Whether his aggressive crackdown will calm the unrest or inflame it further remains uncertain. What is clear is that a new generation of Kenyans is demanding change—more persistently, more loudly, and with deeper resolve than ever before.
