What are we teaching children? Mwaura on Ruto's shoe attack
“We must respect the institution of the Presidency."
The 18 year-old is the suspect caught on camera throwing the shoe
In Summary
President William Ruto addressing a rally in Kiria West on May 4, 2025/PCS
A police report from, Kuria West Sub-County, Kehancha Police Station, further noted that the three suspects are aiding police in investigations.
The follow up on incidence report said the suspects are all male, aged 18, 20 and 22 years.
It said the 18-year-old is the suspect caught on camera throwing a shoe to the President.
The report added that the second and third were heckling while the head of state was delivering his speech.
“All the three are from Kuria West, Komasincha, and Taranganya locations. All the three were arrested at Kehancha town,” it stated.
Police had earlier indicated that said investigations are ongoing and that more suspects are being pursued.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen said the three are being treated as part of a broader investigation on whether the act was an isolated outburst or part of a more deliberate attempt to breach presidential security.
Preliminary findings suggest the incident may have been politically motivated and premeditated before the President’s visit.
The incident briefly disrupted the event, which occurred while the President was on his tour of Migori.
A short five-second video captures the moment when a person from the crowd listening to Ruto as he addressed the public hurled a shoe, hitting him on the head.
The president blocked the shoe as it landed on him.
Security officers tasked with protecting the president quickly rushed to the stage, and the meeting was disrupted for a few minutes.
The security team pushed the crowd away from near the dais even as the president told them to stop it.
It was difficult to establish who had hurled the shoe at that moment.
The motive of the incident is yet to be determined.
Detectives swung into action immediately after the shoe was hurled as the president stopped talking briefly.
Ruto was on a small mounted dais surrounded by a large crowd when the incident happened.
“We must respect the institution of the Presidency."