Kenya government condemns shoe-hurling at president

The government of Kenya has condemned the unfortunate incident in which a shoe was thrown at the President William Ruto during a rally over the weekend.

In a viral video, President William Ruto was hit by a flying shoe during a development tour in Migori County on Sunday, May 4, 2025. It remains unclear whether the Head of State was injured from the incident. The shoe was hurled as the president was addressing residents, and he was seen blocking it with his left arm. The crowd appeared animated, and security personnel had difficulty containing the excited crowd, which was eager to get closer to the president.

Government spokesperson, Isaac Mwaura speaking of the incident described it as ‘Shameful’. He also called for the perpetrators to be apprehended. While Kenyan media outlets have reported that three people have been arrested in connection with hurling of the footwear, the police are yet to confirm it.

The incident mirrors a similar event from December 14, 2008, when then-US President George W. Bush was narrowly missed by a shoe thrown by an Iraqi journalist during a press conference in Baghdad.

Following the incident, President Ruto briefly cut short his speech while addressing the issue of lowering the cost of living. There has been no official statement from the government regarding the specific reaction to the shoe-hurling incident, but security measures were likely reviewed to prevent similar occurrences in the future.