President Ruto Challenges Claims, Receives Critiques Over Ongata Rongai Protests and Githurai Massacre

President William Ruto addressed allegations on Friday, refuting claims that a young child suffered eight gunshot wounds in Ongata Rongai during recent anti-government protests. Speaking on the Space Conversation hosted by influencer Osama Otero, President Ruto clarified that the photos circulating were from a previous incident in Buru Buru and did not pertain to the situation in Rongai. He emphasized that certain individuals exploited the peaceful protests to advance personal agendas. "It was falsely reported that a young Kenyan was shot eight times. That information is incorrect. The incident involving eight bullets happened several years ago in Buru Buru," Ruto stated.

However, his remarks sparked backlash among Kenyans online, who demanded accountability for the use of force by anti-riot officers against peaceful demonstrators. "The right to protest is protected by our Constitution. The protests were infiltrated, and I'm certain those who set fire to Parliament were not peaceful protesters," Ruto responded. "Let's be honest here. Do you believe innocent protesters were responsible for disrupting businesses and burning down Parliament? We must protect protesters while also keeping criminals at bay."

The case of Kennedy Onyango, a 12-year-old reportedly shot eight times during the initial protests, added fuel to the controversy. His mother, speaking to Citizen Digital, insisted her son was not involved in the protests and was innocent. "My child was innocent, he wasn't at the protests, he didn't steal. Bullets are meant to kill thieves, not a 12-year-old," Kennedy's mother lamented. "He dreamed of going to America through his drawings; he loved drawing until his teachers took his belongings somewhere I don't know." She recounted how Kennedy left school to retrieve a book from a friend but never returned.

Ruto also dismissed reports of a massacre in Githurai, where over 200 lives were allegedly lost, challenging families to come forward to verify the claims. "Let's be brutally honest. I will never say anything that isn't factual, especially on such a serious matter. Are you suggesting that 200 people died in Githurai? Really, my friend, can the families step forward? 200 lives lost is no trivial matter. I'm sorry to say, but those numbers are incorrect. Forget about social media. Tomorrow, I invite you to bring the names to State House," Ruto informed Otero.