Police officers in Kuria West, Migori County, have arrested three individuals suspected of throwing a shoe at President William Ruto while he was addressing residents of the Kehancha area..
President William Ruto has this afternoon narrowly dodged a shoe hurled at him—while addressing a crowd.
The incident occurred shortly after the Head of State had launched a 298-unit affordable housing project, part of his administration’s ambitious plan to provide low-cost homes to Kenyans across the country. As President Ruto engaged with the crowd and emphasized his government’s commitment to development, an unidentified person hurled the Shoe toward him.
In the dramatic turn of events on Sunday, the shoe flew through the air caught Ruto unawares and blushed the President momentarily startling him as he struggled to maintain balance on the podium.
Security personnel swiftly intervened, scanning the crowd and attempting to identify the source of the disruption.
A security officer confirms that investigations are ongoing and that more suspects are being pursued following the arrest of the trio.
He adds that preliminary findings suggest the incident may have been politically motivated and possibly premeditated ahead of the President’s visit.
The officer also reveals that authorities are narrowing in on a key suspect believed to be central to the case, which could significantly aid the investigation.
Posts on social media captured the chaos, with some calling it a bold protest against Ruto’s policies.Tensions were high in Migori, where people are upset about rising taxes and broken promises.
Kenya’s debt has climbed to 10.4 trillion shillings ($80.5 billion), and 67% of Kenyans say the economy is getting worse. With 65% of the population being youth and 35% of them jobless, frustration is growing. Ruto urged calm, saying, “We must discuss, not fight.”
Other presidents have faced similar protests. In 2008, Iraqi journalist Muntadhar al-Zaidi threw shoes at U.S. President George W. Bush in Baghdad, shouting insults, Bush ducked, and al-Zaidi was jailed for nine months.
In 2014, a shoe was thrown at Hillary Clinton in Las Vegas while she spoke. In 2013, Taiwan’s President Ma Ying-Jeou faced multiple shoe-throwing incidents, leading police to buy 149 shoe-catching nets.
Locally, Former President Uhuru Kenyatta encountered a similar reception in the same County, Migori a few years back.
The youths started chanting ODM slogans and hurled shoes and other paraphernalia at the presidential dais causing security tension at the meeting.
The presidential guard threw a security cordon around the tent where the President and other dignitaries sat and shortly after, President Kenyatta managed to calm down the youths amidst a few ODM chants that ran through the air. These acts show public anger.
