Ekuru Aukot has launched a scathing attack on President William Ruto following his controversial order to police to shoot protesters targeting businesses.

Taking to X on Friday, July 11, 2025, Aukot condemned the President’s directive, terming it reckless and discriminatory.

“Hello President @WilliamsRuto, I’m still shocked at your reckless statement as the baba wa taifa. My question to you: you ordered the shooting of hustlers, the poor from very humble villages. Sad. But who will shoot the looters, thieves of public money, from SHAH to ministries, etc., who walk around in expensive suits and cars?” Aukot posed.

“This is a case of massive looters calling for the shooting of petty thieves. What a travesty!”

Ruto’s remarks

His remarks follow President Ruto’s July 9 directive, where he told police to shoot violent protesters in the legs to incapacitate rather than kill them. The directive came in the wake of the escalating Saba Saba protests that have swept across the country. Demonstrators—many chanting “Ruto must go” and “wantam” (one term)—have decried corruption, high living costs, and state brutality.

Earlier, in an interview on a local TV station on Thursday, July 10, 2025, Aukot cautioned against the remarks from the Head of State, calling for a more coherent way to address issues.

“The President is confirming what the Cabinet Secretary for Interior Security and National Administration, Kipchumba Murkomen, said about the shoot-to-kill order.

“Such statements should not come from the president of a country. It is dangerous, and it shows that Ruto is a frustrated man.”

The comments follow Ruto’s directive on Wednesday, July 9, 2025, in which he insisted that police should shoot in the leg those involved in burning or looting property, aiming to incapacitate, not kill. During a visit to the Kilimani police housing project.

“A person who is going to burn another person’s business and property… such a person should be shot in the legs, taken to the hospital, and then to court. They should not kill him, but they should shoot his legs,” Ruto said.

Ruto defended his remarks, stating, “We’ve had people burn police stations, destroy property, and injure officers. This must be stopped decisively.” However, human rights groups, including the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR), have reported a rising death toll among protesters—raising alarm over excessive force.

Aukot, a former presidential candidate and sponsor of the Punguza Mzigo Bill, accused the president of betrayal. He argued that the so-called “hustler” president had turned on the very people who propelled him to power while shielding the political elite and high-profile economic criminals.

As protests continue and more voices join the call for accountability, Aukot’s bold challenge has further ignited national debate over justice, governance, and the use of force against citizens.