Opposition leaders in Kenya convened a meeting on Tuesday to address what they describe as a deepening crisis under President William Ruto’s administration.
The group made up of Rigathi Gachagua, Kalonzo Musyoka, Eugene Wamalwa, Kivutha Kibwana and Martha Karua also welcomed into its fold, former Cabinet Secretaries Justin Muturi, Mithika Linturi and Fred Matiang’i.
Karua and Kalonzo welcomed the new additions to their formations with the latter stating; “A very good morning and welcome onboard. This is the Team that will komboa (save) Kenya.”
The gathering focused on two issues: the June 2024 killings of unarmed Gen Z protesters by security forces during anti-tax protests at Kenya’s parliament and the recent deaths of five individuals in Kilgoris, Narok County, amid a contentious land dispute.
In a strongly worded statement, the opposition leaders condemned the Ruto government, accusing it of orchestrating a “killer regime” and perpetuating a “blood-based government.”
The leaders referenced a Monday BBC Africa Eye documentary that exposed the excessive use of force by security personnel during the June 25, 2024, protests in Nairobi.
The documentary, based on an analysis of over 5,000 images, confirmed that the Gen Z protesters—mobilised against the controversial Finance Bill—were unarmed and posed no threat.
Despite Kenya’s Constitution guaranteeing the right to peaceful protest under Article 37, the violence resulted in multiple deaths, with no accountability to date.
“Truth is there was no planned coup, and these Gen Zs were not dangerous criminals but patriots calling for accountability, good governance, and an end to corruption,” the statement stated.
It criticised the government for attempting to criminalise protests, pointing to the lack of progress in investigations ordered by a parliamentary committee into the killings.
The opposition also turned its attention to the recent violence in Kilgoris, where five people were shot dead on April 28, 2025, during protests over a 6,300-acre land demarcation in the Angata Barikoi area.
Residents have accused a powerful local leader of attempting to grab communal land, a claim that echoes earlier demonstrations in March 2024.
Narok Senator Ledama Olekina, who confirmed the incident, vowed to visit the area to investigate further, expressing outrage over the killings.
The opposition leaders linked the Kilgoris incident to a broader pattern of state overreach, accusing the Ruto administration of using lethal force to suppress dissent.
“We refuse to allow the Ruto regime to criminalise protests, whether against bad policies like the Finance Bills of 2023/24 or land grabs in Kilgoris,” the opposition statement read.
They demanded justice for all victims and called for investigations into the actions of security forces, urging the National Police Service and political figures to answer for their roles in the escalating violence.
The meeting also touched on the ongoing reconstitution of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), a process critical to Kenya’s electoral integrity ahead of future elections.
They emphasised the need for consultation and concurrence between the government and opposition, as agreed during the Bomas National Dialogue in 2023.
The dialogue had previously led to an agreement to expand the IEBC selection panel from seven to nine members to ensure broader representation, though progress has been stalled by legal and political challenges.
The opposition’s statement concluded with a rallying cry for accountability, invoking the hashtag #RutoMustGo—a slogan that has gained traction among critics of the president.
The Ruto administration has yet to respond to the opposition’s allegations, but the mounting pressure underscores the growing tensions in Kenya as citizens demand accountability for state violence and governance reforms.
With the IEBC reconstitution nearing its conclusion and public discontent simmering, the coming weeks could prove pivotal for the country’s political landscape.
