A man who ran towards President William Ruto in Wajir while he was delivering a speech has broken his silence, saying he had no ill intentions and only wanted to speak to the Head of State about his political ambitions.
In a video seen by The Star, the man explained that he was seeking an opportunity to introduce himself to the President and share his plans to vie for a Member of County Assembly (MCA) seat in his area.
“Mimi nilitaka kuongea na Rais kwa sababu nasimama kiti ya MCA huko kwetu,” he said.
He added that the moment came as the President was concluding his speech, and he simply wanted to greet him.
“That was the time the president was summarising his speech, and I just wanted to greet him, and I didn’t know that my actions would cause trouble. I am hopeful that I will see him,” he said.
According to his account, he tripped and fell on the carpet near the stage before security officers quickly moved in and carried him away.
The incident occurred as President Ruto was addressing beneficiaries of the Nyota Fund in Mandera when the unidentified man suddenly emerged from the crowd and rushed toward the stage. Security personnel swiftly restrained him, briefly interrupting the President’s remarks.
However, President Ruto intervened and urged his security team to remain calm.
“Eei, so sorry, leave him alone, let him relax there. He should sit down somewhere there, and I will see him later,” the President said, signalling for a measured response.
The event proceeded without further disruption.
Similar Incident in Mombasa
The Wajir incident came just days after a similar security scare on February 6 in Mombasa, where another unidentified man ran towards President Ruto during an event at the Jomo Kenyatta Showground.
At the time, the President was presiding over the disbursement of Sh147 million in Nyota youth empowerment funds to 5,880 young entrepreneurs from Mombasa, Kwale and Taita-Taveta counties.
As he engaged the audience and casually asked, “Wapi mtu wa mwisho hapa?” a man suddenly broke from the crowd and ran toward the dais, catching security officers off guard.
Security aides quickly moved to restrain him, but President Ruto once again intervened.
“Habari yako boss, wachana naye,” he told one of the officers, allowing the man to speak briefly.
In a light-hearted exchange that drew laughter from the audience, the President asked for his name.
“Unaitwa nani?” he posed.
“Naitwa Jeremiah,” the man replied.
“Very good, Jeremiah,” the President responded, jokingly remarking, “Naona umeweka box,” in reference to his hairstyle.
The President also asked about his missing shoes.
“Viatu imepotea wapi?”
“Nimeziwacha,” Jeremiah answered, prompting laughter from both the President and the crowd.
When asked where he had come from, the man said he had travelled from Nairobi and had followed the President to several towns.
“Mimi nimetoka Nairobi. Nimekuwa nawe Kisumu, nimekuwa nawe Nakuru,” he said.
Upon learning that Jeremiah was not a beneficiary of the Nyota programme, the President asked him to wait.
“Sasa wewe utangoja kidogo, wacha nimalizane na hawa, tutashughulika na wewe,” he said, before a security aide calmly escorted the man away.
Both incidents have sparked conversations online about public enthusiasm at presidential events and the challenges faced by security teams in managing large crowds, even as the President has opted for a composed and measured response in such situations.
