What did President Ruto say during his speech?
President William Ruto’s recent directive to police to “shoot in the leg” during ongoing protests has triggered a wave of disbelief, condemnation, and fear across the country. In a public address made just days after widespread demonstrations and deadly police crackdowns, the president said:
“Anyone who burns down someone else’s business and property, let them be shot in the leg and go to the hospital as they head to court. Yes, let them not kill, but shoot and break the legs. Destroying people’s property is not right.”
While the remarks drew cheers from a small crowd gathered at the venue, many across Kenya saw the statement as reckless, dangerous, and a clear violation of human rights principles. The president’s hardline tone marked one of his most aggressive public responses to nationwide protests linked to economic grievances, corruption, and police violence.
How did legal, medical, and human rights voices respond?
Reaction was swift and intense. Lawyer Kelly Gitahi wrote, “In a normal country, this is a career-ending statement. Impeachment and removal from office proceedings would have commenced in Parliament.”
Medical Doctor Mohammed Jamaal also warned of the potential consequences of such a directive: “Does the president know that a shot on the thigh can cause a massive femoral artery bleed, potentially losing up to 30–50% of blood within minutes? Class 3 shock is not a child’s play, even with an efficient response, which we don’t have. Shooting isn’t a solution, solve from the roots!”
Online, legal commentators emphasized that even shooting to maim could amount to excessive force under international law. X user Dicap La Merveille noted:
“Did you know International human rights law, including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) to which Kenya is a state party, strictly limits the use of force by law enforcement?”
He added: “The principle of proportionality dictates that the force used must be proportionate to the threat.”
What are Kenyans saying online about the ‘shoot-to-maim’ order?
Social media erupted with memes, anger, and sharp satire. While many were mourning the lives lost during the protests, others turned to dark humor to cope. AI-generated images circulated, showing protesters in wheelchairs and on crutches, mockingly referring to Ruto as ‘Wheeliam Samoei Ruto,’ a twist on his former identity as the symbolic “Wheelbarrow” champion of the hustler movement.
Critics accuse the president of abandoning his once populist persona for a more authoritarian grip on power. The contrast has sparked comparisons with leaders abroad. Referencing U.S. political scholar Jack Landman Goldsmith, one Kenyan observer wrote that Goldsmith’s description of Donald Trump, “his will to power, indifference to legal constraints, and desire to eliminate all friction between impulse and executive action,” now fits Ruto’s leadership style.
As Kenya reckons with increasing unrest, President Ruto’s remarks have added fuel to an already raging fire. Calls for accountability and restraint continue to grow, with many citizens demanding leadership that prioritizes healing, not harm.
By Lucky Anyanje