Belgut MP links Migori shoe incident to growing contempt towards Ruto
Belgut MP Nelson Koech has condemned the recent incident in Migori where a shoe was hurled at President William Ruto, warning that it signals a worrying trend of growing disrespect for the presidency.
Speaking during a televised interview on Monday, May 5, 2025, Koech described the act, widely circulated on social media, as not only disrespectful but a dangerous affront to Kenya’s democracy.
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“I did sleep a very worried person…People do not respect the office of the presidency because of some leaders who have come out to use very demeaning words on the head of state,” he said.
Koech argued that public discourse around the presidency has become dangerously casual, pointing to AI-generated images depicting the President in a coffin and the use of demeaning language by both citizens and leaders.
“It took a very bold step for someone to pick their shoe and throw it at the President. That is not something they thought about at that moment. It was premeditated,” Koech insisted.
He recalled similar past incidents involving former President Uhuru Kenyatta and U.S. leaders like George W. Bush and Donald Trump but noted that what happened in Migori was particularly troubling due to its broader political context.
“Yesterday’s incident is worrying because of what has happened. That is an affront to our democracy. It undermines our democracy. Because the head of state is the father figure. The head of state is what holds the country together,” he stated.
Koech warned that such actions could incite real-world attacks if left unchecked.
“You can imagine if that shoe was a bullet. And we have to look at the history of other countries. People joke about the security of a President,” Koech said, comparing the incident to the instability seen in some West African nations where coups and political violence have followed similar signs of public unrest.
“This is how it starts. You find people toying with ideas and people coming out,” he added.
Of particular concern to the lawmaker were recent statements by former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, who he says, warned Ruto against visiting certain regions, suggesting such rhetoric might be emboldening individuals to take hostile actions.
“This is the second time the former Deputy President has warned the President not to attempt to come to Murima again, since some of your people have been attacking the former President. Such words have been used by leaders and by people around the country. Someone is trying to put their words into action, and that is extremely dangerous,” Koech stated.
The legislator called for enhanced security measures for Ruto, emphasising that protecting the presidency is essential for safeguarding Kenya’s democracy.
“We must protect the presidency. We must protect the president because that is our democracy, and that is where we are as a nation. We must all condemn what happened,” the MP stated.
