Uproar over Ruto grim confession, Kenyans demand action on killings

A protester is roughed up by hooded police officers along Kimathi Street in Nairobi on July 16, 2024. [File, Standard] 

For much of his presidency, President William Ruto has been dogged by adverse reports of extrajudicial killings and abductions of critics, allegations that often resurface during visits of foreign dignitaries.

This week, the president found himself on the defensive and forced to admit that his government has been involved in the abduction of protestors. Even as he made the admission, Ruto once again pledged that such actions would not happen again under his watch.