Kenyan President William Ruto was the target of a shoe-throwing incident during a rally focused on the rising cost of living—a topic that has sparked growing public frustration across the country.
The incident occurred on Sunday, May 4, in Migori County, located in western Kenya. Footage widely circulated on social media captured the moment Ruto deflected the shoe with his arm without injury.
Undeterred, he continued speaking, asking the crowd, “We have said we are reducing the price of fertiliser, true or false?” as the shoe hit the ground, kicking up a puff of dust.
Public anger has been intensifying over recent tax increases and the soaring cost of living.
In response, Ruto has rolled back some proposed tax measures and appointed opposition figures to government positions in an effort to ease tensions. Nonetheless, dissatisfaction remains high among citizens.
Following the incident, Interior Minister Kipchumba Murkomen confirmed that three individuals had been arrested, according to reporting by The Star newspaper.
The event drew comparisons to the 2008 moment when an Iraqi journalist threw a shoe at then-U.S. President George W. Bush—an act that became a global symbol of political protest.
