NAIROBI, Kenya, Jul 21 — President William Ruto has dismissed claims of police excesses in the wake of reports of rights violations during anti-government protests called by the opposition Azimio alliance.
Speaking during a prize giving event at Muranga High School, Ruto called on the law enforcement agencies to be firm in dealing with protesters acting with impunity.
“Criminals must be dealt with firmly, decisively and make sure that we respect the rule of law and we don’t encourage impunity of any nature,” he asserted.
Azimio has faulted Ruto’s administration saying Kenya was on the brink of slipping into a police state.
“We have noticed an unprecedented level of police brutality on innocent Kenyans. We want the international community to take serious note of these happenings with a view to holding into account the perpetrators of these crimes,” House Minority Leader Opiyo Wandayi stated.
Calls for probe
The Ugunja MP further implored on the Directorate of Criminal Investigations to conduct an investigation into the incidents of police brutality witnessed during the demonstrations.
The government has vehemently contested accusations of sanctioning the use of brutal force against protesters terming reports by a section of observers as inaccurate.
On July 17, Kenya has contested the UN Rights Office characterization of riotous protests by as peaceful terming them “anti-democratic”.
In letter addressed to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights OHCHR on Sunday, Kenya’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations said the protests called by Azimio leader Raila Odinga were anything but peaceful.
“Such a designation belies the widely and credibly documented ground reality,” Kenya asserted in a comprehensive response to a statement issued Friday by UN Human Rights Office Spokesperson Jeremy Laurence.
Laurence had expressed concern over what he characterized as widespread violence in Kenya after a protest called by the opposition turned chaotic leading to nine deaths.
