Kenya: Shooting Citizens Is Not A Show Of Power, It Is A Show Of Weakness- Pat Utomi
Nigerian professor of political economy and management expert, Pat Utomi, has urged Kenya’s President, William Ruto, to heed the concerns of protesting youths and refrain from using force against them.
Recall that President Ruto has promised to take a hard stance against violence and anarchy following protests against his government’s proposed tax increases, which turned deadly and led to the ransacking of parliament.
According to a report by Vanguard, Ruto stated that a comprehensive and swift response would be provided to what he described as “treasonous events,” accusing certain individuals of hijacking the demonstrations for dangerous purposes.
He emphasized that criminals posing as peaceful protesters would not be allowed to terrorize citizens, elected officials, and constitutional institutions without consequences.
During the clashes, five people were reportedly shot dead and dozens were injured as police confronted demonstrators who breached the parliament compound in Nairobi. The military was deployed to support the police, who used tear gas, water cannons, rubber bullets, and reportedly live ammunition against the protesters.
Addressing Ruto, Pat Utomi posted on X (formerly Twitter) that he had been supportive of Ruto but urged him not to let arrogance take over. He stressed the importance of dialogue with the younger generation who disagreed with Ruto’s vision for the future, highlighting that shooting citizens is a sign of weakness rather than power.
Utomi called for Ruto to embrace good governance, warning against further violence in a continent already suffering from significant strife.
He wrote, “Ruto Ruto. I was rooting for you yesterday. Please please do not let hubris eat your lunch. Africa needs good news. If a whole generation disagrees with how you want to construct their future, talk with them. Shooting citizens is not a show of power it is a show of weakness. There is time to make amends. We need you to raise the banner of good governance. Africa is bleeding rivers. We need no oceans of blood that assume egos of tyrants….Chēck Møre
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