Raila slams shoot orders, advocates for rule of law
By Faith Lagat, July 11, 2025Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga has issued a sharp condemnation of recent shoot-to-kill directives issued to police, calling instead for the upholding of the rule of law and due process in handling protests and civil unrest.
In a strongly worded statement on his X, Odinga denounced any orders to “shoot, maim, disorient, or shock citizens” during demonstrations or law enforcement operations, labeling such actions as unconstitutional and dangerous.
The statement, dated July 11, 2025, comes barely 24 hours after President William Ruto’s controversial remarks on July 10, 2025, where he directed police officers to “shoot protesters in the legs” if they attempted to destroy property or loot businesses.
The comments have triggered national outrage and reignited public debate over police accountability, excessive force, and the protection of civil liberties.
Odinga, who recently vied for the African Union Commission Chairmanship, said Kenya must resist authoritarian policing tactics, even in moments of crisis.
“In a protest or any other environment that requires law enforcement, all the above orders—shoot to kill, maim, disorient, or shock citizens—are wrong,” Odinga declared.
He emphasised that a functional democracy must be guided by legal norms, not emotion or retribution.
“We are all better served as a country when we stick to the principle that everyone is innocent until proven guilty, a determination that can only be made by a competent court of law,” he added.
Prioritise lawful arrests
Citing ongoing unrest and the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights’ July 7 report confirming at least 31 protest-related deaths, Odinga urged police to prioritise lawful arrest and arraignment over lethal force.
“Let’s prioritise arrests and arraignment in courts over killing, maiming, or brutalising of suspects,” he said, adding that such restraint would “preserve the dignity and respect the human rights of suspects while at the same time conferring credibility to the actions of the state.”
He also warned against Kenya’s gradual shift toward militarised policing, a trend he said has failed elsewhere in Africa.
“As a country, we should do everything to avoid the militarised approach to policing. Examples from around the continent show that such an approach only increases the risk of violence,” Odinga cautioned.
The ODM leader’s statement signals what many political analysts are calling a strategic re-entry into frontline opposition politics, particularly following his 2018 handshake with then-President Uhuru Kenyatta and later cooperation with President Ruto’s administration in select national dialogues.
Nonetheless, the statement has reignited calls for urgent reform in Kenya’s law enforcement structure, particularly the conduct of officers during demonstrations. As the country enters a critical moment of political transition and social unrest, the former prime minister’s voice adds momentum to a growing push for justice and constitutional accountability.