“Shoot Them in the Leg”: Ruto’s Latest Order Sparks National Anguish Amid Youth Deaths

President William Ruto’s recent remarks have sparked national concern and outrage after he directed police to shoot protesters in the leg if caught destroying property.

The statement, made during a police housing project launch in Kilimani on Wednesday, July 9, comes at a time when the country is still mourning the deaths of dozens of young demonstrators following the Saba Saba protests.

“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. Let them not kill, but shoot and break the legs,” Ruto said, referencing acts of looting and arson.

His statement was delivered with a blunt tone that left many shocked, especially amid reports from the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights citing at least 31 deaths and 107 injuries during recent protests.

Ruto didn’t stop there. He turned his attention to the growing frustrations around unemployment, a key grievance fueling the protests.

When asked about joblessness among the youth, he retorted: “Kwani vijana wote walikuwa na kazi kabla nikuwe rais? Watu waache upuzi, hio ni upumbavu,” translating to ("Were all young people employed before I became president? People should stop the nonsense — that's foolishness.") dismissing criticism as political noise and claiming the issue is not new.

He added that the issue of unemployment “cannot be fixed in a day,” and blamed previous regimes for neglecting long-term solutions.

Ruto defended his administration by pointing to 320,000 jobs created through the Affordable Housing Programme and 200,000 more under the Digital Superhighway and creative economy initiatives.

Even so, many Kenyans view these claims as out of touch, given the rising cost of living, soaring youth disillusionment, and ongoing crackdowns on dissent. The President also warned that attacks on police or security installations would now be treated as acts of terrorism.

With online backlash mounting and civil rights groups condemning the normalization of excessive force, Ruto’s latest comments have only deepened a growing divide between his government and the country’s disillusioned youth.