Salasya slams Belgut MP for urging police to shoot and kill violent protestors
By Nancy Marende, July 10, 2025Mumias East Member of Parliament (MP) Peter Salasya has strongly condemned his Belgut counterpart, Nelson Koech, for his controversial remarks urging police to shoot and kill protesters deemed violent during recent nationwide demonstrations.
Koech’s remarks came just a day after President William Ruto instructed police to shoot looters and vandals targeting property, but only in the legs.
Speaking on Thursday, July 10, 2025, Koech said the president’s directive did not go far enough and insisted the police should aim to kill those who pose a threat.
“I want to thank President William Ruto for saying yesterday, ‘Shoot, but do not kill. I want to repeat it here. In fact, shoot and kill. You cannot have someone coming after your life, and you do not want to shoot and kill,” Koech said.
He argued that any individual who threatens lives or attacks businesses armed with weapons should be met with deadly force.
“You cannot have someone who is going to terrorise you and your family, and you are telling me you cannot shoot and kill. You cannot have someone who is coming after your businesses armed and with weapons, and you want to tell me that you cannot shoot and kill,” the MP added.
Salasya’s stance
In a statement on Thursday, July 10, 2025, Salasya accused Koech of endorsing state-sponsored violence and ignoring the root causes of public dissent, particularly among the youth.
He warned that such reckless rhetoric only fuels more anger and widens the gap between citizens and the government.
“You cannot lead people by force. Even the children of Israel told God they wanted their own kings, and he allowed them. You cannot force President William Ruto on Kenyans, my brother. I will tell you when I meet you in Parliament after the recession,” he said.
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Further, he challenged Koech’s loyalty to Ruto, saying the suffering of young Kenyans under the current regime should not be dismissed or ethnicized.
He cited rising unemployment, excessive taxation, and recent reports of extrajudicial killings as signs of a leadership crisis.
“It’s not about the Kalenjin community; it’s about an individual in the name of the president who promised heaven, but instead he is promising to construct a 1.2B church in the state house and coming up with punitive taxes that are ending up denying many young people job opportunities,” he said.