NAIROBI, KENYA — Kenyan opposition leaders have vehemently condemned the violent clashes in Kilgoris Constituency, Transmara, Narok County, which resulted in the deaths of five citizens during a confrontation between residents and police officers over a 6,800-acre land dispute.
In a joint statement issued by prominent opposition figures including People’s Liberation Party (PLP) leader Martha Karua, Wiper’s Kalonzo Musyoka, former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, former Agriculture CS Mithika Linturi, former Public Service CS Justin Muturi, DAP K party leader Eugene Wamalwa, and former PS Torome Saitoti, the leaders characterized the violence as an escalating pattern of state-sanctioned brutality.
The opposition leaders alleged a connection between President William Ruto’s administration and the forceful acquisition of private land, asserting that the Kilgoris incident mirrors similar land disputes in Mavoko, Nairobi, and Ndabibi.
They vowed to escalate these alleged human rights violations to the International Criminal Court (ICC) in pursuit of justice. “With Dr. Ruto’s checkered past with forceful land displacements, we want to remind him that such acts are crimes against humanity and we are committed to escalating these cases to the International Criminal Court (ICC),” the statement read.
The opposition figures also directed criticism at national security agencies and independent institutions, specifically the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) and the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP), accusing them of becoming state instruments that conceal human rights abuses.
“What we are witnessing today is the rise of a gangster regime that has no regard for human life, no respect for the rule of law and no commitment to the Constitution,” the statement asserted. “Dr. Ruto is systematically dismantling the country’s democratic safeguards, subverting justice and endangering the very lives of the citizens it claims to serve.”
Turning their attention to the selection panel for the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), the opposition leaders expressed significant concern regarding the transparency and integrity of the process.
They urged the selection panel to prioritize the nation’s interests above any personal agendas.
To foster trust in the electoral process, the opposition leaders demanded consultation prior to the appointment of the IEBC Commissioners.
“A failure to set up a Commission that inspires the confidence of Kenyans and all concerned parties may set the context for rigged elections in 2027, which Kenyans shall not accept,” the leaders stated.
