NAIROBI, Kenya — President William Ruto has stood by his controversial remarks directing police to shoot protesters targeting government installations in the leg, saying the statement was justified and consistent with the law.
In an interview with Al Jazeera aired on Sunday, the President dismissed claims that his administration was using security forces to suppress dissent, arguing that police officers were acting within their legal limits to safeguard lives and property.
“I do not regret those comments at all because the law allows the police to use force when other people’s lives are in danger,” Ruto said. “The police know what they need to do and understand what is in their purview.”
The President clarified that the National Police Service (NPS) operates independently and that his previous comments were not formal directives but an expression of his stance on maintaining law and order.
“The police are independent, and there is nowhere in the law where I have the power to direct the police,” he stated.
Ruto said his comments were intended to ensure that officers balance the protection of protesters’ rights with the need to defend citizens and public property from violent elements.
Following his remarks, sections of the Kenyan media and human rights organisations criticised the government for what they described as an endorsement of excessive force. However, Ruto defended the country’s press freedom, saying journalists had a right to express opinions — even those critical of his administration.
“The media are independent, and they write whatever they think they can write. They say all manner of things which I do not agree with, but they have a right to say them,” he said.
Addressing reports of police misconduct, including the recent killing of teacher and activist Albert Ojwang’, Ruto reiterated that his government would uphold accountability and discipline within the security ranks.
“We have thousands of police officers, and you cannot miss a rogue one. That is why we have laws to deal with such elements. We will continue to make sure that the majority of the police know what to do,” he added.
Ruto’s “shoot-in-the-leg” comments, first made in July during the launch of the Police Housing Project at Kilimani Police Station, sparked widespread debate. Human rights groups condemned the remarks as promoting unlawful force, while supporters saw them as a strong stance against lawlessness.
“Anyone deciding to storm a person’s business or a police station should be shot in the leg. Thereafter, they can go to court and see what follows next,” Ruto said at the time.
The controversy has reignited national debate over police accountability and the limits of presidential rhetoric in matters of law enforcement.
