NAIROBI — A prominent human rights defender has warned that Kenya is teetering on the edge of disorder following President William Ruto’s controversial remarks instructing police to shoot protesters in the legs.

Khelef Khalifa, a veteran rights activist and director of Muslims for Human Rights (MUHURI), said the president’s approach risks provoking further unrest, particularly among young Kenyans already burdened by poverty, joblessness, and disillusionment with the state.

“There’s a dangerous lack of empathy in the president’s response,” Mr Khalifa said in a statement on Thursday. “The language he uses risks inflaming a volatile situation. We’ve seen what happens when the state responds to peaceful protests with violence — we’ve lived it before.”

The president’s remarks came during a heated address on Wednesday, in which he accused opposition leaders of using youth protests as a cover to attempt what he described as an unconstitutional grab for power.

“If you want to remove me, don’t hide behind young people or hire goons,” Mr Ruto declared. “Come and face me directly. I am not a coward.”

His government has come under mounting criticism after weeks of protests over tax hikes, economic hardship, and alleged corruption. Over 100 people have been killed since the demonstrations began last year, according to human rights monitors, with the latest protests on Monday claiming at least 38 lives — the deadliest yet.

A Recipe for Anarchy

Mr Khalifa said the president’s directive to aim at protesters’ legs is not only unlawful but invites further brutality. “This kind of command has no basis in legal or constitutional policing,” he said. “It threatens to turn lawful protest into a battlefield.”

He added that there is growing concern about plainclothes officers in unmarked vehicles — particularly Subarus — who have reportedly been involved in arbitrary shootings and abductions.

“These tactics signal a collapse in police accountability,” Mr Khalifa warned. “The state appears more committed to suppressing dissent than addressing its root causes.”

Citing the tragic events of Kenya’s 2007–08 post-election violence, which led to the deaths of over 1,000 people and triggered a still-unresolved case at the International Criminal Court, Mr Khalifa said the country must not repeat past mistakes.

“Let us not forget Kiambaa church, where 33 men, women, and children were burned alive,” he said. “We cannot afford another descent into chaos.”

Calls for Escalation Fuel Tensions

In a separate statement, Belgut MP Nelson Koech backed the president’s stance but said it didn’t go far enough. “The order should be shoot-to-kill,” Koech said in a video that has since gone viral.

His comments were condemned by rights groups and civil society leaders, who say such rhetoric is dangerous and irresponsible.

Mr Khalifa said this signals growing acceptance of extrajudicial policing at the highest levels. “What we’re seeing now are elected leaders effectively calling for state-sanctioned executions. It’s appalling.”

Double Standards and Public Anger

The activist also raised concern over what he called selective policing. He pointed to a recent break-in at the offices of the Kenya Human Rights Commission, where armed attackers stormed the premises just 200 metres from a police station. Officers reportedly failed to intervene.

“This shows a double standard,” Mr Khalifa said. “When it’s public assets or dissenting voices, the force is immediate and brutal. But when it’s politically inconvenient crime, law enforcement suddenly becomes blind.”

He also criticised the government’s crackdown on protesters while billions continue to vanish from public coffers. “The poor are taxed and harassed, while the well-connected loot with impunity,” he said.

A Warning to the President

As the country faces economic strain and growing discontent, the activist warned that mishandling public outrage could push Kenya further toward instability.

“History has shown us how countries fall apart,” he said. “It starts with police impunity, political arrogance, and a leadership unwilling to listen.”

“If Kenya descends into disorder,” Mr Khalifa concluded, “President Ruto will bear the weight of that failure.”