Kenya’s President William Ruto has ordered police to shoot protesters in the legs if they target businesses or property, saying they must be “hospitalised and taken to court — but not killed.”
The controversial directive follows deadly anti-government protests that left at least 31 people dead and over 100 injured, according to the state-run Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR).
Police, however, put the death toll at 11.
Rights groups and the UN have condemned police for using excessive force, including live bullets, during demonstrations that have rocked Nairobi and other cities. Among the victims was a 12-year-old hit by a stray bullet at home.
Ruto defended police action, calling attacks on security forces a “declaration of war” and vowed to crush efforts to remove him from power through what he called “unconstitutional means.”
“Anyone destroying property will be shot in the leg. We will not allow chaos, threats, or terror to run this country,” he said.
The protests, sparked by economic hardship and a growing youth unemployment crisis, were further fueled by public outrage over the death of a blogger in police custody last month. Demonstrators have chanted “Ruto must go” and “one term,” demanding the president resign.
Opposition leaders accuse the government of using unmarked police vehicles to deploy armed gangs and urged a national boycott of businesses tied to the administration.
Kenya’s Chief Justice and religious leaders have warned the violence could tear at the country’s democratic fabric.
Ruto urged critics to wait for the 2027 elections, insisting change can only come through the ballot.
“You can call me whatever you want, but I will ensure there is peace and stability in Kenya,” he said.
