Ruto claims major gains in war against terrorism

President William Ruto arrives in Mombasa to officially close the 23rd Commonwealth Heads of Prosecuting Agencies Conference. [PCS]

President William Ruto yesterday said Kenya has made significant strides in the war on terror, despite a resurgence of attacks linked to Al-Shabaab in parts of the Coast and northern Kenya.

The President cited the recent convictions of the Garissa University and DusitD2 terror attack perpetrators as clear evidence of the country’s resolve to end terrorism.

He noted that the financing, facilitation, and execution of such attacks are transboundary in nature, and thus require international intelligence cooperation to trace and dismantle the financiers of terrorism.

“For instance, during the Dusit attack, financing was traced to a bank in South Africa, as well as to various banks within Kenya and Somalia,” said Ruto.

Speaking in Mombasa while closing the 23rd Commonwealth Heads of Prosecuting Agencies Conference, the President warned that terrorism—one of the most dangerous forms of transnational organised crime—continues to pose a persistent and evolving threat to national security.

“Last month, two individuals were found guilty of aiding the DusitD2 attackers, and sentencing is scheduled for 19 June 2025. In the Garissa University case, the courts in 2019 found three individuals culpable and sentenced them to life imprisonment and 41 years each,” he said.

Ruto added that the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) has registered 30 money laundering cases over the past three years.

He warned that criminal networks have evolved their modus operandi in human trafficking cases, with terrorists often posing as victims to facilitate cross-border movement. Perpetrators are also increasingly using encrypted social media platforms and cryptocurrencies to finance their activities, he said.

The President emphasised that mutual legal assistance and extradition remain vital tools for tackling transnational crimes, by providing formal pathways for cross-border information sharing.He further noted that joint investigations allow for real-time collaboration and pooled expertise, enabling law enforcement agencies to dismantle criminal networks more effectively.

He also called for the harmonisation of legal frameworks and the alignment of national laws across jurisdictions to build a unified global front against transnational organised crime.“Equally important is the vigorous pursuit of asset tracing, confiscation, and forfeiture. Denying criminal enterprises the proceeds of their illicit activities is key to undermining their operations,” he said.

Ruto affirmed that Kenya remains committed to enhancing the resources and capacity of the ODPP to lead efforts against regionally and internationally organised crime.

On his part, Director of Public Prosecutions Renson Ingonga said Kenya has signed Memoranda of Understanding with various prosecutorial agencies.