- President William Ruto has spoken about his controversial order to “shoot people in the foot” following violent protests led by Gen Z generation
- He defended the police’s actions against public criticism while explaining the reasons why he issued the order
- Ruto also touched on allegations of media censorship, insisting that journalists are free to report as they wish, even if they disagree with the content of their reports.
President William Ruto has stood firm on his controversial order directing police to shoot those who vandalize or loot property during anti-government protests, despite widespread criticism from political opponents.
Source: Facebook
The order was issued on July 9 in Nairobi, Kilimani area, aimed at stopping criminal activities that were accompanied by protest led by the youth of Gen Z in 2024 and 2025.
Why did Ruto give that order?
Speaking in defense of the order in an interview with Al Jazeera on Sunday, November 9, Ruto said his government had to maintain a balance between respecting the right to peaceful protest and preventing crime.
He admitted that although many protesters were expressing their grievances sincerely, others used the protests to commit crimes.
“There are those who came to present their views, but there were also criminals who burned down buildings, looted supermarkets, and destroyed property,” he said.
The President emphasized that the public was tired of acts of destruction, which they saw as not peaceful protests but open crimes.
He said the police had to control violent criminals while ensuring that those in charge of the protest were respected.
When asked about the ethics and legality of the order, Ruto said he has no regrets.
“I don’t regret those statements at all because the law allows the police to use force if people’s lives are in danger. There is no part in the law that allows me to give orders to the police. The police know their duty,” he said.
When pressed further on whether shooting the protesters was excessive use of force, Ruto replied softly but firmly:
“That’s your opinion. I think the police know what to do.”
Source: Facebook
Are there bad police in Kenya?
Despite his tough stance, the president admitted that there are a few bad policemen in the security system.
“When we recognize that kind of police, we take action,” he said, rejecting claims that Kenyans were killed during the protests.
His comments came as protests spread across the country, with several cities witnessing looting and arson targeting supermarkets and small businesses.
The riots attracted international attention and raised questions about the government’s handling of civil dissent.
In addition, Ruto denied claims of controlling the media after reports claimed that live broadcasts of the protests were blocked.
“Media control has never happened in Kenya; they are free to lie and spread their distortions,” he said.
Did Raila warn about orders to ‘shoot people to death’?
At the same time, the late leader of the opposition Raila Odinga he emphasized that Kenya is not a police state or a dictatorial state, urging the importance of the rule of law.
He asked the government to hunt down and arrest those who use protests to commit crimes instead of using excessive force.
Raila condemned any orders that encourage the police to shoot, injure or intimidate citizens, saying such actions are illegal and dangerous to the nation.
According to him, everyone should be considered innocent until the court proves otherwise.
He stressed that emphasizing arrest according to the law instead of brutality preserves human dignity and strengthens the legitimacy of the government.
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