A Kenyan-born academic based in the United States has petitioned UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer to reconsider hosting President William Ruto, citing ongoing human rights violations in Kenya.

In a strongly worded letter dated June 29, Prof. Peter Ndiangui, an activist and lecturer at Florida Gulf Coast University, criticized the UK’s decision to welcome President Ruto, calling it a betrayal of democratic principles and an affront to Kenyans mourning recent State violence.

“The timing of this visit, coming in the wake of the killings of unarmed protestors, sends the wrong message. It undermines the values Britain claims to uphold and disregards the suffering of Kenyans,” Prof. Ndiangui stated.

The letter, also addressed to Foreign Secretary David Lammy and members of the UK Parliament, was issued as President Ruto embarked on an official visit to Spain and the United Kingdom on Sunday.

Prof. Ndiangui argued that extending diplomatic courtesies to the Kenyan head of state shortly after what he termed “State-sanctioned bloodshed” risks giving legitimacy to violent repression.

He called on the UK government to withdraw its invitation and publicly denounce the security crackdown in Kenya, which has drawn global criticism following the deaths of demonstrators during recent protests.

The professor also condemned a statement allegedly made by Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen, who reportedly instructed police to shoot civilians found near police stations.

Ndiangui said such rhetoric was not only dangerous and unconstitutional but also demanded international condemnation.

“This moment requires moral clarity. Endorsing a government that turns its weapons on its citizens is not diplomacy, it’s complicity,” he warned.