Mariann Jabocs, Nairobi – Kenyan President William Ruto has sparked widespread outrage and concern after instructing police officers to shoot protesters in the legs if they are found attacking or destroying private property during anti-government demonstrations.

“Anyone caught burning another person’s business or property should be shot in the leg, hospitalised, and later taken to court. Don’t kill them, but ensure their legs are broken,” Ruto said, in remarks that have drawn sharp criticism from rights organisations and international observers.

The comments come amid a deadly crackdown on protests across the country, with Kenya’s state-run Kenya National Commission on Human Rights reporting that at least 31 people were killed on Monday alone. The demonstrations, driven by anger over the rising cost of living, new taxes, and perceived government corruption, have seen widespread looting, vandalism, and violent clashes between police and civilians.

Human rights groups and the United Nations have accused Kenyan security forces of using excessive force, including live ammunition, to suppress dissent. The UN has called for restraint and accountability, urging Kenyan authorities to uphold international human rights standards in dealing with civil unrest.

Ruto also accused unnamed political rivals of sponsoring the chaos, warning against what he described as “unlawful means” to topple his administration.

The president’s shoot-to-incapacitate directive has raised alarm over a potential escalation in state violence and the apparent normalisation of extrajudicial tactics. Critics say the rhetoric could embolden police to act with even greater impunity in a country with a long history of security force abuses.

Despite the rising death toll, Ruto has defended his administration’s response, insisting that law and order must prevail. However, pressure is mounting both at home and abroad for an independent investigation into the killings and for greater accountability from the Kenyan government.