Act on police brutality before it gets out of control- Raila tells Ruto

Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga has called on President William Ruto to rein in police killings, warning that the situation is "spiralling out of control."

The ODM leader condemned the shooting of an unarmed mask hawker during the June 17 protests in Nairobi, saying the police have gone rogue.

The hawker, identified as Boniface Mwangi Kariuki, was shot in the head by a uniformed police officer in broad daylight along Moi Avenue during protests demanding justice for Albert Ojwang.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, June 17, 2025, Raila described the incident as horrifying and inexcusable.

“Kenyans have a constitutional right to protest peacefully, and I call upon the President to urgently address this escalating situation before it spirals out of control. The continued use of violence by law enforcement against unarmed citizens is unacceptable and must be met with immediate accountability,” Raila said.

He said the shooting of an innocent, unarmed civilian was proof that the police force had gone rogue.

Raila reminded the government that Kenyans have a constitutional right to protest peacefully and urged President Ruto to take immediate action to end the violence.

“I strongly condemn the shooting of an unarmed hawker selling masks in Nairobi’s Central Business District. The viral video circulating on social media is horrifying to watch. Our police officers have completely gone rogue. There was no imminent threat posed to the officer, yet he chose to use excessive and lethal force against an innocent civilian,” Raila stated.

The opposition leader warned that continued brutality by law enforcement could plunge the country into deeper unrest unless urgent accountability measures are put in place.

Meanwhile, the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) has confirmed that 22 people were injured during the protests.

One of them, the peaceful protester selling masks, was also shot at close range and is currently in critical condition at Kenyatta National Hospital.

Others suffered gunshot wounds, beatings, and tear gas-related complications.

KNCHR noted that while the demonstrations were largely peaceful, the police responded with unnecessary and excessive force.

The commission also condemned the arrest of four human rights defenders in Mombasa who were participating in the protests peacefully and in accordance with the law. It is demanding their immediate and unconditional release