Ruto and Raila tease sleek dance moves as Madaraka Day lights up Homa Bay
The Madaraka Day celebrations in Homa Bay County on Sunday, June 1, 2025, took on a lively and memorable tone as President William Ruto and former Prime Minister Raila Odinga delighted the crowd by breaking into spontaneous dance moves during the event.
President Ruto rose from his seat and moved confidently to the front of the podium, setting the stage for the unexpected performance. Not to be outdone, Raila Odinga also left his chair, stepping back to create more space for himself to join in the dancing.
The two leaders then began moving rhythmically, stepping gracefully from left to right and forward, their movements punctuated by sleek, deliberate steps that drew cheers from the crowd. The atmosphere was charged with energy and camaraderie as they danced in tandem, clearly enjoying the moment.
Spotting the joyous display, Slovenian President Nataša Pirc Musar joined in, showing off her own dance moves. At one point, she clasped her hands in a gesture of gratitude and leaned toward President Ruto to whisper something, prompting him to respond with a smooth, warm laugh.
The shared light-heartedness between the trio added a special touch to the proceedings, making the celebrations even more memorable.
Other leaders who were also not left out from exhibiting their dance moves were Deputy President Kithure Kindiki, who, akin to Ruto and Raila, also danced exuberantly beside his wife, Joyce Kindiki.
The three leaders, Kindiki, Raila, and Ruto, were the ones taking the lead from the front row of the VIP dais, while the Slovenian president was also nestled beside them, attired in a skirt suit complemented by a blue blazer.
The song the leaders danced to was a patriotic tune, with the lyrics “Umoja ni nguvu, utengano ni udhaifu; Kenya nchi yangu, hakika naipenda.”
Kenyans kept chanting throughout the entire time, and the moment of dancing was the concluding item on the itinerary that then ushered in the phase of speeches from the multitude of leaders who had honoured the ceremony in the Gladys Wanga-led county.
Ruto and Raila’s dance left Kenyans trading reactions online, with many commenting that they appeared pleased with each other, while others questioned what had made Raila so at ease within an administration he had long been a staunch critic of.
The dance camaraderie also comes just a day after they sent the internet into a frenzy with another comparable scene where they fried and shared fish together in the county.
The two leaders, who have grown warmer towards each other since signing a broad-based political pact, were joined by thousands of eager residents who came out to celebrate the special occasion.
Locals lined the streets, waving banners adorned with various messages, including ‘kumibilabreak’ and chanting enthusiastically as the two politicians continued with their activity.
In one of the photos shared by President William Ruto on his Facebook page, a woman dressed in an apron bearing the words Boma Yangu was seen handing them a tilapia fish and a skimmer before gently showing them how to place it into a frying pan filled with bubbling hot oil.
Raila then took the fish and carefully immersed it in the oil while Ruto waited patiently before beginning to turn it over with the skimmer.
Other leaders who had joined them during the activity included Mining Cabinet Secretary Hassan Joho alongside Homa Bay Governor Gladys Wanga, who, once the fish was ready, were seen applauding the duo warmly.
Afterwards, Ruto and Raila proceeded to a designated seating area on the upper floor of the newly inaugurated Modern Homa Bay Fish Market, situated beside a large fishing pond, to enjoy the fish they had prepared.
They were then served ugali to accompany the fish.
In a post on his Facebook, Ruto noted that the entire fish-frying moment was orchestrated to add splendour to the occasion, which was the official opening of the market, adding that it will serve close to 400 traders.
