Ruto says he has disbanded police unit that used to dump Kenyans bodies in River Yala
President William Ruto has openly acknowledged that he is fully aware of the countless Kenyans whose bodies were retrieved from River Yala.
Speaking during a joint media interview with Mt Kenya radio and TV stations on Monday, March 31, 2025, Ruto stated that he had taken a decisive action by disbanding a rogue police unit that was responsible for the heinous atrocities.
According to Ruto, the killings were directly linked to the wave of mysterious disappearances reported across the country, but was adamant that it was not his administration that bore the blame.
“My stance on enforced disappearances is well known because, in the past, many Kenyans lost their lives in senseless killings, with their bodies being dumped in River Yala, and that is something I could not allow to continue under my watch. The moment I assumed office, I disbanded the police squad that was carrying out these atrocities because I could not allow a situation where innocent Kenyans continued to be abducted and executed without accountability, and that is why I took action immediately,” he asserted.
Ruto acknowledged that many Kenyans who had lost their loved ones remained deeply aggrieved, but he insisted that apart from ordering the disbandment of the rogue police unit, he had also made it unequivocally clear that abductions and unlawful detentions were completely unacceptable.
He reinforced that his government had not only condemned such acts but had also taken a firm stand against them to ensure they never happened again.
The head of state even went on to defend his approach by explaining that he fully recognises the independence of the police force and does not believe in interfering with their mandate, stating that his administration had made history by being the first to grant the police total financial autonomy.
According to him, his government had ensured that their budget was no longer controlled by the Office of the President, a move he argued was a game-changer in securing the police service’s independence and shielding it from political influence.
“I am aware that there have been allegations regarding abductions, and I have made my position absolutely clear to the police—even though they operate independently—because, since taking office, I have told them that I will not dictate to them how they should conduct their work, and that is precisely why I removed their budget from my office and placed it directly under their control, so they are fully in charge of their own financial decisions,” Ruto stated.
He further explained that in granting the police full financial control, he had deliberately distanced himself from their operational decisions, meaning that when officers decide who to arrest, investigate, or prosecute, they do so on their own authority, without needing any input from him.
“I made it clear to them that whoever they decide to arrest is entirely their decision, and I will not be the one to tell them to go after a particular person, nor will I interfere in their investigations, and that is why I told them that if they choose to take someone to court, they should not come to me for guidance, because that is their responsibility as an independent arm of government,” he emphasised.
Additionally, the head of state explained that his decision to separate himself from police operations was strategic because he did not want a situation where, if anything went wrong, he would be blamed for their failures, pointing out that under previous administrations, the police budget was directly controlled by the President’s office.
For this, he lamented that it had been difficult for them to function without political interference and touted his government’s reforms, saying police are now fully responsible for their own actions.
“I have made my position as head of state absolutely clear, and that is why I do not want anyone to use me as an excuse if problems arise because, in the past, the police budget was controlled from the President’s office, which meant that they were answerable to the executive, but I have now ensured that they have full autonomy, and that is why I have told them that the position of my administration, and indeed the position of the President of Kenya, is that enforced disappearances and unlawful abductions will not be tolerated,” he stated.
Ruto was categorical that the police must take full responsibility for their actions and ensure that rogue officers who engage in abductions and other unlawful acts are held accountable, further revealing that the matter had already been discussed at the cabinet level and that the government had given clear directives on what was acceptable and what was not.
“The police must take responsibility and deal decisively with those within their ranks who engage in unlawful abductions because I have been thoroughly clear with them on what they need to do when handling matters of enforced disappearances and judicial abductions, and we have already discussed this extensively in cabinet, so they know exactly what is required of them and what is completely off-limits,” he concluded.
