Presidential security breach: Man who charged at Ruto in Wajir speaks

President William Ruto was on Thursday forced to momentarily halt his speech in Wajir County after an unidentified man breached security and ran towards him at the podium as he addressed a crowd gathered for the disbursement of the National Youth Opportunities Towards Advancement (NYOTA) funds.

The move forced the President to pause briefly as his security aides, including his aide-de-camp, wrestled the man off the podium.

“Polepole, pole,” the President is heard saying, urging his security team to remain calm.

He then instructed them to let the man be.

“Wacha akae hapo. Wacha arelax. Tutakutana na wewe, kaa hapo,” said President Ruto.

The President then continued with his speech as security officers formed a human barricade between him and the thousands of youths who had turned up for the programme.

“Tunawapenda sana. Tunataka kushirikiana na nyinyi na tutarudi hapa vile nimewaeleza. Wajir hoyee!” he said.

The man, who later spoke to Citizen TV, said he had no ill intentions and that he simply wanted to speak to the President about his political ambitions.

“Mimi nilitaka kuongea na Rais kwa sababu nasimama kiti ya MCA huko kwetu,” said Ahmed Muhumed, an MCA aspirant.

Muhumed said he does not regret his actions, appearing unaware of the gravity of the security breach.

Six days earlier, while addressing a similar NYOTA event at the Jomo Kenyatta Showground in Mombasa, President Ruto faced another security scare.

On that occasion, a man ran towards the podium from the front, tumbling over it before officers from the Presidential Security Unit apprehended him.

“Habari yako boss, wachana naye. Unaitwa nani?” The President asked.

“Very good, Jeremiah. Naona umeweka box. Viatu imepotea wapi?” the President quipped.

He once again instructed his security team to leave the man alone, promising to engage him later.

“Wewe ni wa NYOTA? Mimi sio mtu wa NYOTA hapa. Tutaongea baadaye,” he said.

At the time, President Ruto was disbursing NYOTA business start-up capital to young entrepreneurs from Mombasa, Kwale and Taita Taveta counties.

In yet another scare last May, President Ruto dodged a flying shoe hurled at him during a rally in Migori County.

State House later described the incident as “a moment that got out of hand,” suggesting it happened accidentally.