A section of elders from Isiolo County have come out to criticize the heckling meted on President William Ruto during his visit.

Addressing the press, the elders affirmed that the heckling was likely orchestrated by the president’s critics whom they say shunned a previous meeting hosted by Deputy President Kithure Kindiki.

While accusing those who skipped the meeting of being involved with the chaos witnessed during Ruto’s visit, the elders stated that it could be a possibility that they were sponsored by Ruto’s close allies in a political move aimed at ruining his tour and popularity.

They further apologised, but cautioned the president to be cautious with those close to him.

“Kusema ukweli hii jambo ya kelele ilipigwa hapa juzi, ilipigwa na vijana wetu na maneno haikutokea siku hio, naeza kusema ni mpango ilipangwa, nakumbuka wakati tulitoka hapa tukapelekwa Karen kwa Deputy President Kindiki, kuna wale kati ya leaders wa Isiolo waliitwa na hawakuenda huko, technically walikataa kuenda huko maana walikua na mipango yao; niseme mmoja kama Fatuma kwa nini hakukuja huko, na wengine pia. Kuna matamshi ilitolewa na ndugu yetu ambaye ni adui yetu sikatai, kwa nini aliwacha county yake kukuja kutamka maneno hapa?

“Ni mpango ilipangwa na wapinzani ama wahuni wa siasa, mheshimiwa rais kelel za chura hazizui ng’ombe kunywa maji, tunasema pole, haikua fikira zetu wazee, na sisis kama Isiolo council of elders tunasema pole sana, lakini wahenga walisema kikulacho kinguoni mwako rais, ebu anagalia watu ulitoka nao Nairobi ni kina nani, na walikua wapi siku tulienda kwa mheshimiwa Kindiki, tulipopata mwaliko; where were they on that material day?” they said.

Somali community apologises

The apology from the Isiolo elders comes a day after the Somali community elders apologised to Ruto over the incident.

The elders, led by chairperson of the Somali Council of Elders, Abdulkadir Shariff, expressed their displeasure with the disrespect meted on the president affirming that the incident did not represent the values of Isiolo residents nor the Somali community.

“Our main reason for coming out to speak today is as a result of what happened during the president’s visit while addressing residents at the Prisons land,” Shariff said.

“We are not happy about what happened especially we the Somalis and all the good people of Isiolo. There was no reason to heckle the Head of State,” he added.

President heckled

Ruto faced a hostile crowd during a groundbreaking ceremony for the County Aggregation and Industrial Park project in Isiolo. on February 7, 2025.

The charged residents chanted ‘Ruto must go’ in unison before he president addressed them.

Responding to the hostility, the president attributed the hostility to drug traffickers retaliating against a narcotics crackdown launched in the region.

“I hear these drug dealers have brought youth to heckle us here. Listen carefully, young people – you cannot intimidate the Kenyan government,” the president said.

His efforts to maintain composure and continue to address the residents were met with sustained resistance forcing him to cut his speech short.