Ruto condemns June 25 deadly protests, orders arrest of perpetrators

President William Ruto has for the first time broken his silence on the deadly June 25 anti-government protests, describing them as “economic sabotage” and directing security agencies to arrest and prosecute all those involved in the violence and destruction.

Speaking on Friday during the International MSMEs Day celebrations, Ruto condemned the loss of lives, looting, and destruction that rocked several towns during the Gen Z-led protests, saying those who bore the brunt were traders and ordinary Kenyans.

He said while the Constitution protects peaceful demonstrations, the recent events were anything but peaceful.

“Even as we celebrate our MSMEs today, we must confront a painful reality. I want to express my deepest regret and condemnation for the loss of lives, looting, wanton destruction, and loss of valuable property belonging to our traders who were deliberately targeted by criminal elements during the protests this week,” Ruto said.

“Let me be clear: the right to peaceful protest is protected by our Constitution. We respect and uphold that right. But what we witnessed was not peaceful protests. It was calculated chaos. It was destruction. It was economic sabotage; let’s call it what it is, that is what it was.”

The President said the destruction left behind was severe, with shops looted, businesses burnt, and market stalls and warehouses destroyed. He painted the protests as planned acts of lawlessness disguised as freedom.

“Shops were looted. Businesses, some built over decades, were burned to the ground. Market stalls destroyed. Warehouses ransacked. Investments worth billions of shillings were wiped out in hours,” Ruto said.

“The livelihoods of hardworking Kenyans have been shattered by deliberate acts of lawlessness. It is anarchy dressed in freedom colours. This is disorder disguised as democracy,” he added.

According to Ruto, it was time for the country to reflect on the direction it is taking, warning that freedom should not be used as an excuse to destroy.

“Is this the Kenya we want? Do we want to build by day, and destroy by night? Do we uphold the law, only to exploit its protections to sow chaos and cripple our economy? Is this what freedom means? Is it freedom to burn what others have built? Those elements doing this are not fighting for freedom; they are attacking freedom,” Ruto stated.

He ordered the Inspector-General of Police and all relevant agencies to act without delay, promising full legal action against those responsible.

“The perpetrators of this violence, looting, and destruction must be identified, unmasked, and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law, swiftly and decisively,” he said.

The June 25 protests turned deadly, with Amnesty International Kenya director Irungu Houghton confirming that the death toll had reached 16.

Rights group Vocal Africa, which has been helping families at a Nairobi morgue, reported that at least four of the bodies bore gunshot wounds.

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“All of them had signs of gunshots, so we suspect they all died of gunshot wounds,” said Hussein Khalid, the organisation’s head.

“We condemn this excessive use of force. We believe that the police could have handled themselves with restraint. You come out to protest police killings, and they kill even more.”

A coalition of rights groups reported over 400 people wounded, with 83 admitted to the hospital with serious injuries. Protests were recorded in 23 counties.

Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen also addressed the aftermath, warning that the government would go after those who hijacked the protests to loot, destroy and commit crimes.

Speaking after inspecting damaged property, Murkomen said the violence was planned and politically driven.

“What happened yesterday was not random. It was deliberate, it was coordinated, it was funded. It was premeditated and politically funded,” he said.

Murkomen revealed that 88 police vehicles, 27 government vehicles, and 65 civilian cars were destroyed during the chaos. In Dagoreti, five firearms were stolen from the police station.

He condemned the attacks on small businesses, saying the looters broke into kiosks, supermarkets, electronic shops, restaurants, and even banks, leaving a deep trail of losses.