The attempted protest, which was recorded on film and extensively distributed on social media, is reminiscent of a similar incident in 2008, when an irate journalist confronted then-US President George W. Bush in Iraq.
President Ruto, who was speaking about the government’s attempts to cut fertilizer costs as part of his administration’s reaction to economic dissatisfaction, had just asked his audience, “We have said we are reducing the price of fertilizer, true or false?” when he had the footwear thrown at him.
The shot impacted him and stirred up dust, but he seemed physically unharmed. He was at Migori County for a three-day working tour.
According to The Star Newspaper, Kenya’s Interior Minister Kipchumba Murkomen said three persons were apprehended shortly after the incident, as Ruto’s security team hurried to the stage, disrupting the meeting for a few minutes, despite the president’s orders not to do so.
The motive behind the incident has yet to be established.
The episode highlights Kenyans’ dissatisfaction with rising costs and economic strain, despite Ruto’s efforts to alleviate tensions by abandoning proposed tax hikes and opening cabinet positions to opposition members.
The act draws a clear parallel to the 2008 incident involving George W. Bush, who was in Baghdad for a press conference when Iraqi journalist Muntadhar al-Zaidi hurled his shoes at him.
In many cultures, notably in the Arab world, it is a sign of extreme disdain.
In both situations, the footwear became more than simply an object; it represented revolt.
For Bush, it exemplified the instability and animosity caused by foreign military involvement.
For Ruto, it represents political discontent, economic pressure, and a population that is more reluctant to remain silent.
Kenya’s protests against Ruto’s tax bill
Between June and July 2024, a deadly protest over President Ruto’s tax plan rocked one of Africa’s largest economies.
What was supposed to be a peaceful march in Nairobi turned violent, with perhaps 40 deaths recorded.
The tax was levied on necessities, things that contribute to e-waste and hurt the environment, imported goods, and products and services used directly and solely in the building, infuriating Kenyans, particularly young people.
Soon after the demonstrations became fatal, the president was obliged to withdraw the tax bill; nevertheless, the damage had already been done, and as a result, the youths in the country began demanding the president’s resignation.
In response, the Kenyan president made very drastic changes to his government, including the firing of his entire cabinet, eliminating the budget for the offices of Kenya’s first and second ladies following nationwide protests, suspension of all non-essential travel by state and public officers, and of course scrapping the bill that had spurred the protest in the first place.
