Omtatah questions Ruto’s authority over police actions
By Mustafa Juma, July 14, 2025Human rights activist and Busia Senator Okiya Omtatah has sharply criticised President William Ruto’s recent directive to police officers to “shoot protesters in the leg”.
Speaking during an interview with a local TV station on the night of Monday, July 14, 2025, Omtatah called Ruto’s directive unconstitutional and a dangerous display of poor leadership temperament.
Omtatah further said he was less concerned with the president’s exact words and more alarmed by the emotion behind them.
“I am not concerned by the order per se, but by the fact that the president was angry,” he stated.
“One quality of a good president is that he should never be provoked. He should be able to be sober all the time. So getting angry means he got unhinged.”
Omtatah warned that a president who is easily annoyed becomes reactive rather than responsive—a risky trait in the context of national leadership.
“When you are angry, it means you cannot control what you say,” he added.
“What should be condemned is the fact that the president is very easy to annoy.”
Legality of Ruto’s remarks
He further challenged the legality of Ruto’s remarks, asserting that the president has no constitutional authority to direct police operations.
“He has no power to direct how the police can behave on the streets. It is only the Inspector General and various commanders who have that,” Omtatah clarified.
Ruto’s directive
His remarks come in the wake of public outrage and legal concerns after President Ruto, during a recent address, appeared to instruct security forces to shoot at demonstrators targeting public property.
The comment has sparked widespread condemnation from civil society, legal experts, and opposition leaders who see it as a dangerous attempt to suppress dissent through fear.
Omtatah’s statement adds to the growing chorus demanding accountability and constitutional fidelity from the country’s highest office.
It also raises pressing questions about the limits of presidential power and the independence of the National Police Service, especially in light of escalating public protests across the country.