President William Ruto destroying 6,000 illegal weapons and firearms in Kajiado. Ruto pledged to protect Kenyans from rogue police officers. Photo: William Ruto X.
On June, Friday 13, President William Ruto presided over the destruction of 6,ooo illegal weapons and firearms at the National Police Leadership Academy in Ngong, Kajiado County.
The move is part of the government’s effort to fight and neutralize the proliferation of small arms and light weapons in the country. In his speech, Ruto addressed the threats and dangers that the weapon poses, when they fall in the wrong hands.
According to him, when the weapons fall in the wrong hands, they are a threat to the safety of Kenyans, the growth and stability of the country’s economy, as well as the peace that Kenyans are striving to build. He further stated that weapons could bring about violence, and disregard of the rule of law.
“A firearm in the wrong hands is not just a potent weapon; it is a direct assault on the safety of our citizens, the stability of our society, and the peace we have worked so diligently to build. In the hands of criminals, such a firearm enables lawlessness, escalates violence, and undermines the rule of law,” Ruto explained.
The destroyed firearms were recovered in the period between 2022 and 2025, with a majority said to be volunteer return from members of the public through community disarmament and amnesty programmes. However, other weapons were recovered through targeted operations, following a surge of attacks aimed at residents in the area.
Ruto said put an emphasis on the need of collaborative regional efforts towards fighting insecurity, urging that if the issue is sort within a region, it is easier in a particular country to ensure that people live in harmony.
“if we sort out insecurity in one country, we sort out the region. The need for harmonisation of policies and a regional approach towards disarmament as the only way to make regions and countries safe,” Ruto emphasized.
With cases of police brutality continue to be reported in the country, the president assured Kenyans that the government will streamline the National Police Service (NPS) by ensuring proper working conditions for them through modernisation, and further ensuring that rogue officers are weed out in the service.
“We will make sure we professionalize police service and eliminate police men and women who abuse the authority they have. We are ensuring every policeman and woman, as they discharge their noble duties of protecting, they are adequately covered by insurance, adequately supported with a proper housing program. We will protect citizens from rogue police officers and hold them to account,” he asserted.
His remarks coming at time when human rights groups and members of the public have mounted pressure on DIG KIPS Eliud Lagat to step down, after the death of X blogger Albert Ojwang’ who died at Central Police Station after he made a complaint about the deceased defaming him through a post on X.
