7/5/25, 8:19 PM William Ruto is taking Kenya to a dangerous place
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Leaders | Wrong direction
William Ruto is taking Kenya to a
dangerous place
The president’s authoritarian instincts are propelling a spiral of violence
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Jul 3rd 2025 | 3 min read
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7/5/25, 8:19 PM William Ruto is taking Kenya to a dangerous place
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F or the past two decades, if you searched a map of Africa for a country that
was relatively stable politically and successful economically, one stood out:
Kenya. Home to 57m people from 40 ethnic groups, the east African country has
grown steadily and sustained a largely peaceful democracy. But now the picture is
looking bleak. Kenyans are increasingly discontented and venting their anger in
the streets. President William Ruto, elected in 2022 on a promise to improve the
lives of ordinary Kenyans, has responded to demonstrations with brutality and
censorship. A spiral of riot and repression is eroding civil liberties and may
jeopardise economic reforms. Mr Ruto must change tack.
The latest ominous sign came on June 25th, when 19 people were killed and
hundreds injured after police opened fire on protests. The government banned
live television coverage of the mayhem, until a court intervened. The protesters
were furious at the recent death of an opposition blogger in police custody; they
were also marking the anniversary of anti-government demonstrations in 2024,
during which at least 63 people were killed and many more arrested or abducted.
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Kenyans’ fury reflects their country’s deeper problems. In contrast with the past,
t t t di id d l th i li b t it d b f t ti
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7/5/25, 8:19 PM William Ruto is taking Kenya to a dangerous place
protesters are not divided along ethnic lines, but united by frustration over their
poor living standards and their lack of opportunities.TryLast
for free
year’s demonstrations
were named the “Gen Z” protests because they were led by young people
outraged at a planned tax rise by a government that wastes money and creates
too few jobs for them.
The official response to bloodshed last year was indifference. Following the latest
killings, the interior minister has denounced what he calls a “coup attempt” by
“criminal anarchists” and commended the police on their restraint. The more
repressive the government grows, the more young Kenyans question its
legitimacy. Their country, which once set a fine example to the rest of Africa, now
offers a how-to guide on smothering dissent.
It could get worse. Unrest could grow more violent, and be met with more deadly
force and more midnight abductions of government critics by hooded men
wielding batons and handcuffs. (The police insist they are not to blame, but
survivors say they were tortured and questioned about the protests.) Kenya has a
reasonably solid judiciary, but such abuses undermine confidence in the rule of
law and deter investment. Several global companies have already left or scaled
back operations. Worse still, Mr Ruto’s inability to create a consensus could delay
or derail much-needed economic reforms. After last year’s protests, he backed
down and scrapped the plan to raise taxes. Yet the state needs more revenues if it
is to do its job properly while reducing public debt and promoting growth.
The best way out of the spiral would be to take the protesters’ demands seriously.
The government should rein in its security forces, ending the abductions of
dissidents and prosecuting those responsible for killing protesters. It should
make a visible effort to improve public services, while curbing corruption, state
profligacy and ostentatious consumption by the political elite. Kenyans are likely
to accept higher taxes only if they feel more confident that their hard-earned cash
will not be stolen or squandered.
The elusive alternative
Given the damage to Mr Ruto’s reputation over the past three years, a less tainted
successor would have a better chance of getting the reforms Kenya needs. So the
president should not stand for re-election in 2027. Alas, he is unlikely to step
aside. Kenya does not have a strong opposition candidate to challenge him.
U l th i i k th t M R t ill
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7/5/25, 8:19 PM William Ruto is taking Kenya to a dangerous place
Unless one emerges, there is a grave risk that Mr Ruto will continue to take his
country backwards. ■ Try for free
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This article appeared in the Leaders section of the print edition under the headline “William Ruto’s wrong direction”
Leaders
July 5th 2025
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