Violence Will Never Form Part of Our Politics, Ruto Vows

President William Ruto has affirmed his commitment to preventing violence from being used as a tool for political gain in Kenya. 

In a speech on Tuesday, Ruto emphasized that violence has resulted in the loss of innocent lives and will not be tolerated. He compared the use of violence to extra-judicial killings which are also not allowed. Ruto proclaimed that he is open to discussions about other issues, but not violence. His statement comes days after he said he will not compromise on the safety and security of the Kenyan people. 

Ruto's comments were directed towards the opposition who have been holding weekly protests to demand engagement from the state.  During his five-day tour of the coast last week, Ruto expressed concern about the negative impact of ongoing protests on Kenya's reputation. He revealed that a special envoy from China had been sent to address issues related to road projects as the Chinese were deeply concerned about the destruction of roads and road furniture during demonstrations. 

 "Another culture of impunity of past, present and other leaders using violence as a currency for politics in Kenya and in so doing occasioning loss of lives of other citizens. That cannot be. The same way we said no to extra-judicial killings, we have said no to violence as a means of politics in Kenya," Ruto said. 

Since the Azimio-led protests began in March, there have been frequent instances of road blockades and tire burning with some protesters even vandalizing government-funded road infrastructure. Examples of this include a man carrying a Tom Mboya street sign and the recent vandalism of a section of the Nairobi Expressway. On July 12th, protesters damaged the fence and road rails of the Expressway and destroyed flower pots lining the walls in Mlolongo.