Opposition leaders have urged Kenyans to shun businesses, services and institutions associated with President William Ruto’s administration, accusing the government of sponsoring violence, overseeing extrajudicial killings and targeting communities perceived as unfriendly to the regime.

Through a joint statement read at the SKM Command Centre in Nairobi, the leaders said they would document alleged atrocities committed by police and state-linked militias and initiate private prosecutions should the Director of Public Prosecutions fail to act.

They also vowed to present evidence to the DPP and expand a newly launched body, the People’s Restoration Justice Commission (PRJC), to lead efforts in pursuing justice and compensation for victims.

The leaders, including Rigathi Gachagua, Kalonzo Musyoka, Martha Karua, Eugene Wamalwa, Justin Muturi, Fred Matiang’i, Torome Saitoti and Mukhisa Kituyi, accused the government of presiding over a wave of killings, abductions, looting, torture and intimidation during recent protests.

“We issue this call to action: Boycott the businesses, services and institutions owned, operated or publicly linked to this regime and its enablers,” they declared, accusing the government of creating a lawless environment comparable to that of Haiti.

Reading the statement on behalf of the alliance, Kituyi said: “We will publicise a list of shame and call on the public to share any information on businesses affiliated with this list.” He added that the regime had deployed rogue officers and armed gangs to suppress dissent and destabilise opposition strongholds.

According to the statement, from July 6 to 7, several attacks were reported, including one targeting the Kenya Human Rights Commission during a press briefing. The group alleged that a gang, reportedly linked to state security, disrupted the meeting and assaulted participants, especially women, without police intervention. Another incident cited was at Kitengela Hospital, where armed intruders interrupted medical operations and vandalised property.

The leaders also condemned widespread looting of small businesses and supermarkets, and claimed that police trucks were collecting bodies across the country in what they termed a coordinated crackdown on opposition zones. They said such acts amount to crimes against humanity under Article 7 of the Rome Statute, to which Kenya is a signatory.

“This regime is hostile to all. It cannot be reasoned with and must be resisted. We will not rest, retreat or surrender,” Kituyi said, adding that the situation has moved from repression to outright persecution.

“These are not isolated incidents. They are systematic, targeted and sanctioned at the highest levels,” he said.

The opposition stated that the boycott of regime-linked entities was part of a broader resistance effort, and vowed to release a “list of shame” while encouraging the public to submit details on companies associated with the administration.

Kalonzo Musyoka, Eugene Wamalwa, Gachagua, Muturi, Karua and other leaders said they would not attend events or forums sponsored by government-aligned civil society groups or agencies seen to legitimise state-sponsored oppression. They pledged to support citizen resistance and grassroots mobilisation efforts.

“Change does not come by asking politely. It is wrestled from the hands of those who thrive on fear and oppression,” the joint statement read.

Makueni Senator Dan Maanzo said the opposition will compile and present all evidence to the DPP and, if ignored, will pursue private prosecutions. “There is no timeline. We will continue until everyone gets justice and the people are satisfied. This is a people’s initiative,” he said.

He added that the PRJC Secretariat would be expanded from four to nine members to include lawyers, retired judges, journalists and representatives from international and national human rights institutions.

Jubilee Party Secretary-General Jeremiah Kioni called for public inquests into deaths and disappearances linked to the protests and demanded that implicated officers and commanders be held responsible.

“The regime is no longer engaged in mere repression. It has graduated into full-blown persecution,” said Kituyi.

Former National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi said the opposition had launched the PRJC in response to the trauma and brutality experienced across the country, while constitutional lawyer Bob Mkangi described the initiative as a form of protest and a strategic move to demand accountability.