President William Ruto lightened the mood during a roadside rally in Rongo, Migori County, by playfully silencing a vuvuzela blower—just a day after a shoe was hurled at him during a rally in Suna West.
While commissioning a modern market in Rongo, the President paused his speech to address the noisy interruption, earning laughter from the crowd with a humorous biblical reference.
“You, the trumpet guy, wait a moment. I read in the Bible that a trumpet will sound on Judgment Day. Now this trumpet is being blown — are we going to heaven today? Hold off with the trumpet for now,” he quipped.
Taking advantage of the charged atmosphere, President Ruto also took a jab at his political rivals, urging them to focus on delivering results instead of launching premature campaigns. He reminded the crowd that the power to decide Kenya’s future lies with the voters.
“Si ni nyinyi mtaamua nani ataendelea na nani atabaki? Si ni nyinyi mtaamua MCA, wabunge, maseneta, magavana na marais. Si mtaamua ni nani amefanya kazi?” he asked, to roaring applause.
(Is it not you who will decide who will continue and who will remain? Is it not you who will decide the MCAs, MPs, senators, governors, and presidents? Is it not you who will decide who has worked?)
Ruto emphasized that Kenyans will ultimately judge his leadership and decide if he deserves another term based on his development record.
The lighthearted moment came a day after a more alarming incident in Kuria West, where a shoe thrown from the crowd hit the President while he addressed a gathering. Footage of the incident quickly spread across social media platforms.
By Monday morning, police in Kuria West had arrested three suspects linked to the attack.
A security official, speaking anonymously, said investigations were ongoing and that authorities were tracking additional suspects. Preliminary findings suggest the attack may have been politically motivated and possibly premeditated ahead of the President’s visit.
