Kenya’s united opposition coalition has announced plans to take President William Ruto to the International Criminal Court (ICC), accusing his administration of orchestrating extrajudicial killings, deploying rogue police units, and supporting militia-style operations that resemble Haiti’s armed gangs.
In a joint statement released Wednesday, leaders, including Martha Karua, Kalonzo Musyoka, Rigathi Gachagua, Justin Muturi, Eugene Wamalwa, Mukhisa Kituyi, and Saitoti Torome, strongly condemned what they described as a targeted crackdown on peaceful protesters in Nairobi’s Central Business District. According to the opposition, police opened fire on unarmed citizens, leading to multiple deaths and injuries during Tuesday’s protests.
The coalition claims that law enforcement officers, under state command, acted as “judge, jury, and executioner,” using live rounds to silence dissent. They argue that these actions are part of a wider strategy by the state to dismantle democratic freedoms and intimidate the public through violence.
The opposition also raised alarm over masked police officers operating without badges, the use of live ammunition, and reports of law enforcement looting businesses during the protests. Furthermore, they linked the conduct of Kenyan police with tactics used by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in Sudan, pointing out that some firearms used by Kenyan officers resemble those allegedly supplied to RSF by the Kenyan government.
In a bold claim, the statement accuses the Kenya-led Haiti Multinational Security Support Mission of being more of a “benchmarking trip” than a peacekeeping initiative, suggesting that Ruto was studying how to deploy similar militia tactics back home.
Citing the brutal killing of educator and digital activist Albert Ojwang, the opposition accused senior police commanders of lying under oath to Parliament and obstructing investigations. They now see international justice as the only viable option for accountability.
The statement emphasized that evidence is currently being compiled for submission to the ICC Prosecutor in a case aimed at holding President Ruto and his administration accountable under the Rome Statute. The opposition argues that the president has enabled human rights violations both in Kenya and across borders in Sudan.
“This regime has declared war on basic human rights,” the statement read. “The death squads in Kenya are equipped with the same weapons illegally supplied to the RSF in Sudan. These crimes cannot go unpunished.”
Despite expressing little faith in domestic justice institutions, the opposition urged Kenyans not to back down. “Do not be afraid,” the statement concluded. “The courage of Albert Ojwang and many others will not be in vain. We remain united, determined, and unshaken.”
By Yockshard Enyendi
