Amnesty International Condemns Ruto’s Call to Shoot Protesters as Kenyan Unrest Intensifies
Amnesty International has sharply criticized Kenyan President William Ruto over remarks suggesting police should shoot protesters involved in violence, warning the statement could dangerously escalate already volatile demonstrations that have rocked the nation.
In a controversial address amid ongoing anti-government protests, Ruto said that demonstrators “who engage in violence should be shot in the leg.” His comment, delivered amid a surge of nationwide unrest, has sparked outrage among human rights organizations, civil society leaders, and international observers.
Amnesty International Kenya’s Executive Director Irungu Houghton called the president’s remarks “unlawful and deeply irresponsible.”
“It is extremely dangerous for politicians to direct police on how to handle protest situations,” Houghton said. “Such rhetoric only risks further inflaming tensions, encouraging excessive use of force, and increasing violence between protesters, police, bystanders, and opportunistic criminal elements.”
The protests, largely youth-led, erupted in response to unpopular tax reforms and economic hardship, with last week marking the bloodiest period yet. Rights organizations report at least 38 people killed in one day alone — the highest toll since the demonstrations began. Hundreds more have been injured.
According to a damning new report by the Police Reforms Working Group — a coalition including Amnesty and other rights organizations — the protests have been “marred by state violence, use of live ammunition against unarmed civilians, extrajudicial killings, disappearances, and unlawful arrests.”
“Evidence points to serious allegations of unlawful conduct and extrajudicial killings by individuals suspected to be police officers,” the report states. It also documents over 500 injuries among civilians and police.
Kenyan police have denied the allegations, dismissing them as part of a “false narrative.” However, the government is facing mounting pressure both domestically and abroad.
The United Nations has urged restraint, while watchdogs like Human Rights Watch and Transparency International have demanded accountability.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen acknowledged possible police excesses and promised an investigation.
“There is no law that excuses a police officer to commit crimes or kill people,” Murkomen stated, adding that he would issue a new policy on the use of force and firearms by Friday.
The Ministry of Interior reported that more than 1,500 people have been arrested during the most recent waves of protests, with 71 individuals transferred to the anti-terror unit — a move criticized by lawyers and rights groups as disproportionate.
While the government blames demonstrators for widespread looting, property damage, and economic losses — estimated at 1.1 billion Kenyan Shillings (approx. $14 million) — critics say the crackdown has veered into human rights violations.
Reports have also emerged of armed men operating alongside uniformed police during protests — a claim authorities deny, but which continues to raise concerns about informal or unaccountable use of force.
As the country stands at a political crossroads, calls for dialogue, reform, and restraint grow louder.
