A young man caused panic after he broke through security and approached President William Ruto while he was addressing a gathering in Kilifi County.

The incident happened on Sunday, May 24, 2026, during a Thanksgiving service for Youth Affairs Principal Secretary Fikirini Jacobs at Mnagoni Primary School in Bamba, Ganze constituency.

President Ruto was speaking at the podium when the man suddenly moved towards the stage. Security officers quickly stepped in and tackled him before pulling him away from the president.

The brief disruption caused confusion at the event as officers struggled to remove the man from the restricted area. Cameras captured the moment as the president stopped his speech and appeared shaken during the commotion.

At one point, Ruto nearly lost his footing as officers pushed the man away from the podium. The president then asked his security team to stop handling the man roughly.

“Eiih! Wachana na huyu Kijana!” Ruto said as officers restrained the intruder.

The president later tried to calm the crowd and downplay the incident. He suggested the man may have acted out of excitement rather than bad intentions.

“Asante sana. Huyo kijana hana shida. Nafikiri amejifunza kutoka kwa Fikirini Jacobs kwamba nafasi ikipatikana asiipoteze. Huyo kijana, wachana naye, nitamshughulikia baadaye. Ni kijana mzuri. Yeye pia anatafuta bahati yake,” Ruto told the crowd, drawing laughter from some people at the event.

Security questions raised

The Thanksgiving ceremony marked one year since Jacobs was appointed Principal Secretary for Youth Affairs. Leaders, residents, and supporters from Kilifi County attended the event to celebrate his time in office.

Despite the interruption, the programme continued with speeches, prayers, and entertainment after security officers restored calm.

The incident has again raised concerns about security at presidential functions. The area around the president is usually heavily guarded, especially during public gatherings.

Sunday’s breach came barely three months after another man attempted to approach the president during an event in Wajir County.

That incident happened on February 12 when Ruto visited Wajir to oversee the disbursement of NYOTA funds. Security officers intercepted a young man who approached the president from the side of the podium while he addressed residents.