The UDA Member of Parliament Who Asked the Police to Shoot Protesters Apologizes: “I’m Ashamed”

• Belgut MP Nelson Koech apologized unconditionally for remarks made several months ago, a move that follows ongoing backlash
• The UDA MP admitted that the remarks were wrong and shameful, saying they were motivated by emotion
• Koech, who chairs the National Assembly’s Defense, Intelligence and Foreign Relations Committee, insisted that he would never support extrajudicial killings.

Nairobi – Belgut MP Nelson Koech has apologized unconditionally for the remarks he made about eight months ago.

Koech’s sentiments are to withdraw completely from comments that have caused outrage and a major public debate about the limits of the National Police Service.

The MP, who is the chairman of the National Assembly’s Defense, Intelligence and Foreign Relations Committee, admitted on Thursday, February 5, that the statements were wrong and he was embarrassed by them.

Did Koech apologize to Kenyans?

During the interview on Citizen TVthe member of parliament of the Democratic Union (UDA) described the remarks as emotional and inconsistent with his morals and public record.

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He said he would never defend the illegal killing of Kenyan youths and emphasized that the remarks were made at that time.

In his apology, Koech emphasized that he may have been misquoted but still took responsibility for the results, stressing the importance of the sanctity of life as protected by the Constitution and his personal beliefs.

He apologized unconditionally and said he should have been more careful in how he expressed himself.

“I must have been quoted wrongly. Those who know my character know that I am not that kind of person. That statement, of course I want to apologize. The sanctity of life is given and guaranteed by the Constitution and the Bible, which I believe, so that statement that came from me I want to take this opportunity to apologize unconditionally, it is not my character.

I am totally ashamed of that statement. It came in the heat of the moment and I should have been more careful in how I made my statement. So let me use this opportunity to apologize unconditionally,” he said.

When did Koech support shooting to kill

The pardon marks a major shift from Koech’s hardline stance in July 2025, when he publicly defended the President’s order William Ruto for police officers to shoot protesters in the legs during demonstrations.

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At the time, Koech went further, saying that officers should, in fact, shoot to kill rather than shoot to wound when confronted by violent protesters.

In one incident at that time in Chebirbei, Kericho county, the Belgut Member of Parliament openly praised the president’s position and gave him strength.

“I want to thank Ruto. Yesterday, once you said shoot but don’t kill, I want to repeat here, in fact, shoot and kill,” Koech said.

The remarks quickly spread on social media and led to condemnation from human rights groups and the public.

Koech justified his position by citing concerns about increased violence during the protestincluding property damage and loss of life.

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Source: TUKO.co.ke