Keypoints:
- Protester hurls shoe at Ruto during speech
- Kenyans vent anger over soaring living costs
- Police detain three over Migori incident
KENYA’S President William Ruto became the target of a shoe hurled during a weekend rally, as frustrations over the soaring cost of living ignited public outrage.
Footage widely shared on social media shows Ruto deflecting the flying shoe with his arm while speaking to a crowd in Migori county on Sunday. Though struck, the president appeared uninjured and continued addressing the rally without interruption.
‘We have said we are reducing the price of fertiliser, true or false?’ he said as dust kicked up around him from the impact, according to videos verified by Reuters.
Cost-of-living tensions rise
The incident comes amid rising tensions in the East African country, where citizens have grown increasingly disillusioned with Ruto’s handling of the economy. Although the government has scrapped several proposed tax hikes and opened cabinet positions to opposition figures, many Kenyans remain unconvinced that these efforts will ease their daily struggles.
Prices of essentials like fuel, food, and farming supplies have surged over the past year, leaving households across the country stretched thin. The rally disruption is seen as a manifestation of the growing anger and discontent.
According to a report by The Star, Interior Minister Kipchumba Murkomen confirmed that three individuals were arrested in connection with the incident.
Symbolic protest with echoes of history
The shoe-throwing act drew comparisons to the infamous 2008 protest in Baghdad, when an Iraqi journalist threw his shoes at then-US President George W. Bush in protest of the American-led invasion of Iraq. That moment became a global symbol of defiance.
While Ruto maintained his composure during the incident, it highlighted the volatile mood on the ground and the pressure mounting on his administration to deliver meaningful economic relief.
