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Criminals in anti-tax protests due in court - Ruto

Protesters demonstrating against the proposed Finance Bill 2024/2025 enter the Parliament compound in Nairobi on June 25, 2024 in this still image obtained from a social media video. ("@ItsMiller_G"/X/REUTERS)

By Lucy Mumbi and Barack Oduor | Sunday, June 30, 2024

The head of state noted that some of these people overwhelmed police officers and also attacked members of the public.

The people who invaded Parliament, the office of the Chief Justice, and City Hall, and caused major destruction, while presenting themselves as anti-tax protesters, will be arraigned on Monday, the president has said.

William Ruto spoke on live television on Sunday night, in a roundtable interview he requested, which was broadcast from the State House in Nairobi with Linus Kaikai (Citizen TV), Joe Ageyo (NTV), and Eric Latiff (KTN).

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"Those who invaded Parliament are criminals who wanted to access the armoury at the Mausoleum and Senate," Ruto said, adding that they were all captured on CCTV and would be found and punished following investigations.

The head of state noted that some of these people overwhelmed police officers and also attacked members of the public.

“In Ngong, there was an incident where the police were overpowered by criminals. They took firearms from the police. They used those firearms against people and one policeman had to shoot this fellow who had hijacked a gun from a policeman so as not to endanger the lives of other citizens,” he said.

He defended the police, saying they have a hard job keeping the peaceful protesters protected.

“The police have to make sure peaceful demonstrators are protected but they must also make sure criminals are put on hold," he said, adding that his reference to criminals was misunderstood by members of the public who thought he was dismissing protesters and their calls.

Ruto further said that the number of deaths from the protests was 19, not 24, as the interviewers said, quoting the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR).

“There will be an explanation for every one of them. Any life that is lost is something that must bother anybody, beginning with myself. When I assumed office, I said there would be no extrajudicial killings in Kenya and I have made sure that there has been no extrajudicial killing [sic],” he said.

Ruto was asked about cases including that of 29-year-old Rex Masai, the first person to die in the protests, saying, “I feel for Rex and the mother. This should not happen to any child in Kenya, especially when they are engaged in peaceful demonstrations.”