President William Ruto has urged parents to take full responsibility for raising their children, stressing that parenting cannot be outsourced to institutions such as the church or the government. Speaking during a church service at AIC Bomani in Machakos County, Ruto described children as divine gifts that require deliberate mentorship from their families.
“Our children are a gift from God to our families and the nation. We must mentor them; parenting is a God-given responsibility,” he said. “Don’t abdicate it to the church or the government. Don’t let your child be brought up by passers-by.”
He cautioned parents against expecting law enforcement to fill the parenting void. “The police are trained to deal with criminals, not in parenting. If you surrender your children to the police, what do you expect?” Ruto asked, adding that he makes time to raise his own children and others should too.
Ruto also criticized certain political leaders for allegedly manipulating youth during recent anti-government protests, labeling the exploitation of young people for political violence as reckless and shortsighted.
“Leaders, let us not misuse our children by inciting them to cause violence, destroy property, and ruin people’s livelihoods,” he said. “If your political relevance depends on chaos, then you have no vision for Kenya.”
Calling for a more constructive national approach, Ruto urged collective responsibility in mentoring the youth and harnessing their talent and energy for national development.
His remarks came shortly after his July 9 warning to unnamed political figures allegedly financing youth-led violence, stating that the state would respond with force. He controversially instructed police to shoot looters in the leg during protests, emphasizing that while lives should be spared, criminal acts against businesses and police institutions would be met with severe consequences.
“Anyone who attacks our police or security installations is engaging in terrorism. We will not allow a nation to be governed by terror,” he warned.
These statements come amid growing unrest across Kenya over economic pressures and perceived suppression of dissent, as protests against his administration have turned increasingly volatile.