President William Ruto has defended his controversial instruction to police to “don’t kill them, shoot them in the leg” during anti-government protests. He said the directive was necessary because the law allows the use of force against violent demonstrators.
In an interview with Al Jazeera, Ruto explained that the protests included both genuine demonstrators and criminal elements who engaged in looting and property destruction.
“And the public went up in arms because they said these are not protests. This is looting, this is criminality. And we have had to balance. The police have had to balance between dealing with violent criminals on one end and also managing protests,” he said.
Ruto clarified that the statement was not an order, emphasizing that the police operate independently.
“I think the police know what they need to do. And the police understand that it is within their purview,” he added.
On the death of blogger Albert Ojwang, who died in police custody, Ruto said officers involved were arrested and prosecuted.
“We have a police force of 110,000; when we identify rogue officers, we deal with them,” he said.
Ruto also dismissed claims from human rights groups regarding disappearances of government critics, saying his government has ended extrajudicial killings.
He further defended his record on jobs, education, healthcare, and anti-corruption efforts, citing the Conflict-of-Interest Bill and judicial appointments as proof of accountability and reforms.
By Vivian K.