Wiper leader Mr Kalonzo Musyoka has intensified his criticism of President William Ruto’s government, accusing him of ignoring Kenyans' calls to address critical issues affecting them.
In his New Year’s message to Kenyans, Mr Musyoka insisted that despite the atrocities being carried out by police officers and other agencies, the buck stops with the President.
He said 2024 was a “very difficult and painful” year for Kenyans and expressed optimism that 2025 will be a new year for holding the current administration accountable for human rights violations.
He claimed that the balaclava-wearing gangsters captured on CCTV had not been arrested, so he believed that they received their instructions directly from State House, Nairobi.
“Let us not pretend about this. What is clear — no matter the type of whitewashing, chest-thumping, and sugar-coating Mr Ruto’s misguided social media gang attempts to do by sponsoring all manner of hashtags – is that Mr William Ruto is the Chief Commander of the Abduction Squad,” said Mr Musyoka.
His sentiments appeared to mirror those of former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, who claimed that there was a squad established to carry out abductions of government’s critics.
He joined other groups including the clergy, and religious leaders including former Chief Justice David Maraga in demanding the release of those who were abducted or are still missing.
“We demand that all 82 youth who have been abducted in the last three months be released and returned to their families immediately. We also demand that all the 29 missing youth whose whereabouts are unaccounted for be accounted for, forthwith,” said Mr Musyoka.
While demanding the release of those abducted, the Wiper Democratic leader condemned the abduction of government critics claiming Dr Ruto was driving the country into a state of dictatorship.
“To compound this brazen criminality, the Ruto regime embarked with shocking familiarity, the practice of abducting our youth just because they expressed their opinion, drew pictures, and created artwork widely shared on social media that Mr Ruto did not like. This terrible practice of abduction by hooded brutes is reminiscent of the dreaded Adolf Hitler Nazi militias,” Mr Musyoka added.
Mr Musyoka accused Dr Ruto of failing in his mandate of bringing justice to families that lost their loved ones in the protests despite having all the resources to investigate and bring the perpetrators to book.
“They clobbered our Gen Z and Millennials with open abandon. They unleashed torrents of teargas canisters into unarmed crowds of peaceful protestors. Shockingly, they fired indiscriminately live bullets into the crowd of nonviolent demonstrators, killing one too many of our law-abiding youth and injuring many. Up to date, not a single security agent has been charged with these heinous and illegal atrocities against humanity,” said Mr Musyoka.
Apart from abduction, the Wiper leader also majored in high cost of living and delay in the reconstitution of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) as some of the issues bedeviling President Ruto’s administration.
Mr Musyoka condemned President Ruto over what he says is a deliberate attempt to derail the process to suit his interests ahead of 2027.
He claimed that thousands of Kenyans are today unrepresented in Parliament and at the County Assemblies because of vested interests in the 2027 elections, which he claims the president wishes to manipulate through a user-friendly electoral body.
He claimed that Dr Ruto’s proxy, Augustine Muli, has delayed the IEBC Selection Panel process knowing full well that he does not meet the criteria on any and all levels.
“This long-drawn-out and unnecessary process can however be curtailed as our Republic is bigger than one man. We, therefore, say in a loud and clear voice: Mr Ruto, do the honourable thing and instruct your proxy to withdraw his court cases at the High Court and Court of Appeal. The Buck stops with you, William Samoei Ruto,” said Mr Musyoka.
But Mr Musyoka however also expressed hope for the New Year 2025 insisting that it will be a time for Kenyans to stand up against the state excesses and reject President Ruto’s violation of human rights.
