Willis Otieno: Ruto has turned police into an instrument of oppression
By Paulette Mboga, September 19, 2025Lawyer Willis Otieno has accused President William Ruto of turning the police into a political tool instead of a service for protecting citizens.
Otieno, through X on Friday, September 19, 2025, said the police, who are required by Article 244 of the Constitution to protect life, rights, and property, are now being used to oppress the public and silence critics of the government.
“Police have become a weapon of fear”
According to Otieno, the country is witnessing a dangerous return to the “dark days” when state agencies acted as private militias for those in power. He argued that the current police leadership no longer follows the Constitution but instead acts on “orders from above.”
“When police act on political instructions instead of the law, they stop being a service and become a weapon of fear,” Otieno said.
The vocal lawyer’s remarks follow the government’s announcement that 10,000 new police constables will be recruited this year, marking one of the largest recruitments in recent times.
He linked this to the frequent use of force during public protests, where citizens demanding accountability are met with teargas and brutal dispersals. He also noted the rise in abductions of activists and harassment of opposition voices, saying these are clear signs that the police are being misused.
Otieno said that the role of the police is not to serve politicians but to uphold the rights of all Kenyans. He accused the government of abandoning constitutional principles and instead using uniformed officers to protect political interests.
“The Constitution is very clear on what the police are supposed to do—protect life, property, and rights. But what we see today is the opposite. Citizens are being intimidated, activists are disappearing, and opposition leaders are silenced,” he said.
Otieno warned that if the trend continues, Kenya risks sliding back to an era where state power was used to instil fear rather than serve the people. He urged both the police leadership and the government to respect the Constitution and restore public confidence in law enforcement.
His remarks add to growing criticism over the handling of protests and political dissent in recent months and years, with concerns that the police are increasingly being drawn into partisan politics instead of remaining a neutral institution of law and order.