ODM Party Leader Raila Odinga has strongly condemned President William Ruto and Belgut MP Nelson Koech over recent remarks endorsing police brutality against civilians, specifically a controversial “shoot-to-the-leg” directive.
In a sharply worded statement on Friday, the former Prime Minister warned that any instruction to police officers to shoot, kill, maim, disorient, or intimidate citizens was not only unconstitutional but dangerous.
“Any such orders are wrong. The State must uphold the rule of law and the dignity of every Kenyan, even when they are suspected of wrongdoing,” Raila said.
Raila insisted that the use of force must remain a last resort and called for suspects to be arrested and charged in court, not subjected to extrajudicial punishment. According to him, this approach reinforces the credibility of the government while preserving human rights.
“When the government prioritizes arrests and due process, it affirms the Constitution and restores trust in the justice system,” he added.
His statement comes days after MP Koech, who chairs the National Assembly Defence and Foreign Relations Committee, openly supported a shoot-to-disable approach during protests and riots. The remarks have sparked public outrage, with human rights groups and opposition leaders warning that the comments amount to incitement of police brutality.
The former Prime Minister’s warning adds to growing calls urging President Ruto’s administration to de-escalate its response to demonstrations and avoid militarizing public order policing.
