The Democratic Citizens Party (DCP) has escalated its criticism of President William Ruto to the international stage, petitioning the United Nations (UN) and its member states to deny him the opportunity to address the upcoming 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York.
Speaking at a press briefing on Monday, August 18, 2025, DCP Deputy Party Leader Cleophas Malala urged the United States, as the host nation, to declare President Ruto persona non grata, citing international practices where leaders accused of human rights violations are barred from addressing global forums.
“We strongly call on the United States of America, as the host country, to consider declaring him persona non grata. We further call on the UN General Assembly to review his eligibility to speak on matters of peace and human rights,” Malala said.
The party argued that allowing President Ruto to speak at UNGA, which will be held under the theme “Better Together: 80 Years and More Peace, Development and Human Rights,” would contradict the values of the UN. According to DCP, Kenya has witnessed state-sponsored brutality, unlawful detentions, and harassment of activists and journalists under Ruto’s watch.
Malala noted that young Kenyans exercising their right to protest were met with “live bullets, unlawful detentions, and enforced disappearances,” leaving dozens dead and hundreds injured. He added that extending a platform to Ruto would “legitimise dictatorship, embolden authoritarianism, and betray the youth, women, and ordinary citizens whose only act was demanding justice and accountability.”
The DCP further appealed to global civil society and partner nations to boycott any platform extended to the Kenyan President, warning that history would judge harshly those who give authoritarian regimes international recognition under the guise of diplomacy.
Their statement comes just days after the United States released its annual Human Rights Report (August 14, 2025), which sharply criticised Kenya’s human rights record during last year’s Gen Z protests.
The report cited unlawful killings, enforced disappearances, torture, and media restrictions, with at least 60 protest-related deaths recorded by the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) and 50 deaths reported by the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA).
Washington further accused Kenyan authorities of shielding abusive officers from accountability through disciplinary transfers instead of prosecutions. The report concluded that “impunity remains a serious problem at all levels of government,” warning that the trend threatens Kenya’s democratic and human rights commitments.
DCP declared solidarity with Kenyan youth already petitioning the UN against Ruto’s planned appearance, framing the matter as a test of the international community’s willingness to uphold democracy and fundamental freedoms.
“Doing so would amount to legitimising dictatorship and tyranny,” Malala said. “We therefore join the people of Kenya in urging the UN not to grant him the honour of addressing the upcoming convention.”
President Ruto is scheduled to travel to New York in September to deliver Kenya’s address at the UNGA.
Written By Rodney Mbua
