NAIROBI, Kenya – Opposition leader Raila Odinga has criticized President William Ruto’s recent directive to police officers to “shoot and incapacitate” individuals found engaging in arson or looting during protests, warning that such orders dangerously erode constitutional protections and promote a culture of police brutality.
In a statement issued from Capitol Hill, Odinga described the president’s remarks as reckless and unconstitutional, insisting that the use of force must always be guided by the rule of law and due process — not presidential fiat.
“In a protest or any environment that requires law enforcement, orders to shoot to kill, maim, disorient or shock citizens are wrong,” said Odinga. “We must reject the temptation to give police illegitimate and deadly powers over citizens, even when they are perceived to have broken the law.”
His remarks come just days after President Ruto, while commissioning a police housing project in Nairobi’s Kilimani area, told officers not to use lethal force but instead shoot looters in the leg to incapacitate them before taking them to court.
“Don’t kill them, but break their legs,” the president said. “Anyone who burns down someone else’s business and property—let them be shot in the leg.”
The comments have drawn fierce backlash from civil society and the political opposition, with critics arguing that the president’s directive amounts to state-sanctioned brutality and violates both the Constitution and international human rights standards.
Odinga, who has positioned himself as a defender of civil liberties amid recent youth-led anti-government protests, said the principle of presumption of innocence must prevail at all times, regardless of the circumstances.
“Everyone is innocent until proven guilty. That determination can only be made by a competent court of law,” Odinga stated. “Let’s prioritize arrests and arraignment in courts over killing, maiming or brutalizing suspects. This preserves dignity and respects human rights while conferring legitimacy to state actions.”
He also warned that a militarised approach to policing is a slippery slope that only fuels further violence and endangers both citizens and law enforcement officers.
“This trend must be reversed. The police must serve and protect — not intimidate and terrorize. We’ve seen how such approaches in other African nations spiral into deadly confrontations and irreparable societal damage,” Odinga said.
Any orders or instructions to the police to shoot to kill, maim, disorient, or shock citizens are wrong!
The ODM leader’s comments come amid a wider national debate over police conduct during recent demonstrations, particularly the Saba Saba Day protests, where multiple deaths and injuries were reported.
Human rights organizations have called for independent investigations into the use of force by security agencies.
President Ruto, for his part, has defended his stance, saying the state cannot sit back and allow destruction of property under the guise of protest.
He also said political figures believed to be behind violent demonstrations would be held accountable.
Odinga, however, insists that Kenya must draw a clear line between law enforcement and political repression.
“We cannot allow a situation where anger at criminal acts becomes justification for authoritarian policing. We must never sacrifice constitutional values at the altar of expediency,” he said.
