Hecklers among those arrested in Ruto’s Migori shoe incident
By Mustafa Juma, May 5, 2025People found heckling at President William Ruto during his address at Kehancha in Migori County when a shoe was hurled at him from a crowd are among those that have been arrested by the police on May 4, 2025.
According to an OB follow-up report filed at Kehancha Police Station, Kuria West Sub-County, Paul Mutongori Marwa, aged 18, was identified as the person caught on camera throwing the shoe at the head of state.
However, Ezron Muherai Mwita and Nicholas Sangonyi Mwita aged 22 and 20 respectively, found themselves in trouble after they were caught heckling the president as he addressed the residents.
The police report further says that all the three persons of interest were picked up from a bar dubbed Smile Bar, in Kehancha town.
“Ref. OB 19/04/05/2025 and note that the following three suspects have been arrested and are aiding in investigations…. Paul Mutongori Marwa, a Kuria male adult aged 18 years. He is the suspect caught on camera throwing a shoe to the President. Ezron Muherai Mwita a Kuria male adult aged 22 years and Nicholas Sangonyi Mwita a Kuria male adult aged 20 years,” the report read.
“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, Smile Bar. Case PBC with DCI Kuria West dealing.”
Murkomen on the incident
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen had on Sunday, May 4, said the three are being treated as part of a broader investigation into whether the act was an isolated outburst or part of a more deliberate attempt to breach presidential security.
The incident briefly disrupted President Ruto from delivering his speech just after he had finished launching the Kehancha Affordable Housing Project.
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.
Ruto was forced to block the shoe that had been directed at his face from the crowd.
Security officers tasked with protecting the president quickly rushed to the stage, and the meeting was disrupted for a few minutes.
Ruto’s security questioned
The incident sparked mixed reactions, with a section of Kenyans questioning the head of state’s security detail.
Kitutu Chache South Member of Parliament Anthony Kibagendi has warned that Ruto could have been assassinated had the individual who hurled the shoe at him on Sunday, May 4, been armed with a more dangerous weapon.
In a TV interview on Monday morning, May 5, 2025, Kibagendi decried the attempted assault on the president as unfortunate and irresponsible, calling for urgent attention to the safety of elected leaders.