PETITION TO THE INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT (ICC)
Case Reference: Alleged Crimes Against Humanity in Kenya
Date: June 09, 2025
To the Honorable Judges and Prosecutors of the International Criminal Court,
The Hague, Netherlands
I, Francis Gaitho, a citizen of Kenya and a victim of arrests and persecution, hereby submit this petition urging the International Criminal Court to initiate an immediate and thorough investigation into the actions of William Ruto, President of the Republic of Kenya, for his responsibility in the targeted and coordinated suppression of dissent.
This suppression has resulted in a pattern of abductions, enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, and the fabrication of charges against Kenyan citizens, including myself, who dare to oppose his administration.
I assert that these acts constitute crimes against humanity under the Rome Statute, warranting the opening of formal cases against him and his associates.
EVIDENCE OF SYSTEMATIC REPRESSION
Recent reports, including the headline article from The Standard newspaper dated June 09, 2025, titled “Killed-by-Police,” detail the tragic case of a young Kenyan from Migori who died in police custody in Nairobi. The police provided a laughable explanation as a flimsy cover-up, with inconsistencies emerging between their statement and witness accounts.
The reason for the arrest is said to be an insulting tweet against their bosses, revealing a growing pattern of state-sponsored violence.
This incident, which mirrors my own experiences of unjust arrests and persecution, points to a continuing frenzy of abuse against Kenyans, raising the critical question: Who will save Kenyans?
Such acts are part of a broader campaign to silence dissent, as evidenced by the increasing reports of abductions and extrajudicial killings across the country.
IMPOTENCE OF STATE INSTITUTIONS AND OVERSIGHT BODIES
As someone who has suffered firsthand under this regime, I can attest to the impotence of Kenyan state institutions and oversight bodies, which have been rendered powerless under the weight of state capture.
The judiciary, legislature, civil society organizations, mainstream media, professional bodies, trade unions, and even diplomatic missions have been systematically compromised. These entities, once pillars of accountability, have been bought-out or coerced into submission, leaving no domestic mechanism capable of addressing these grave violations.
This systemic erosion has left victims like me with no recourse, enabling a culture of impunity to thrive under President Ruto’s leadership.
CALL FOR ICC INTERVENTION
Given the collapse of internal accountability structures, I implore the International Criminal Court to exercise its jurisdiction under Article 7 of the Rome Statute, which defines crimes against humanity, including murder, enforced disappearance of persons, and other inhumane acts intentionally causing great suffering.
The evidence of a coordinated policy of suppression under President William Ruto’s leadership, which has directly impacted my life and the lives of countless others, necessitates an independent investigation to:
- Establish the extent of his direct or indirect involvement in these crimes.
- Identify and prosecute all individuals complicit in the abductions, killings, and trumped-up charges.
- Provide justice and reparations to the victims and their families, including myself and the family of the young man killed as reported in The Standard.
CONCLUSION
As a survivor of this state-sponsored terror, I cannot stand idly-by while Kenyan citizens continue to suffer. The international community, through the International Criminal Court, must intervene to restore hope and uphold the principles of justice and human rights.
I urge the Office of the Prosecutor to prioritize this matter and open cases against William Ruto and his associates without delay.
Respectfully submitted,
Francis Gaitho
FrancisGaitho.com
Kenyans have grown accustomed to such headlines under William Ruto’s catastrophic presidency
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