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A public address by President William Ruto in Kehancha Town, Migori County, was disrupted on Sunday when an individual in the crowd hurled a shoe toward the Head of State.
The incident occurred shortly after Ruto launched a 298-unit Affordable Housing Project, a key initiative of his administration aimed at addressing Kenya’s housing crisis.
In a viral video circulating online, President Ruto can be seen reacting swiftly, raising his arm to block the projectile, which narrowly missed his head.
The shoe, thrown past security personnel, sparked a moment of tension in the charged crowd.
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Ruto’s security team, primarily composed of General Service Unit (GSU) officers, had formed a barrier around the dias where the president was speaking, but the raised platform left him exposed to the crowd below.
It remains unclear whether the president sustained any injuries, and no official statement from the Presidential Communication Service (PCS) has confirmed or denied harm.
The incident drew immediate comparisons to a 2008 event in Baghdad, where an Iraqi journalist threw shoes at then-U.S. President George W. Bush during a press conference.
The incident occurred as Bush stood alongside Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, just weeks before the end of his presidency.
As President Bush addressed reporters at the prime minister's palace, al-Zaidi, a correspondent for Al-Baghdadia television, suddenly stood up and shouted in Arabic. He then threw his first shoe, which Bush narrowly dodged.
Al-Zaidi quickly launched his second shoe, which missed and struck a U.S. flag behind the podium.
Security forces immediately subdued al-Zaidi, dragging him out of the room as his cries echoed in the hallway.
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The shoe-throwing gesture holds deep cultural significance in the Arab world, symbolising extreme contempt.
The moment was broadcast live, instantly resonating across the globe as a symbol of Iraqi anger over the U.S.-led invasion and its aftermath.
President Bush remained composed, joking with reporters, "If you want the facts, it's a size 10 shoe that he threw," and downplaying the threat, saying, "It's a way for people to draw attention. I don't know what the guy's cause was. I didn't feel the least bit threatened by it".
White House Press Secretary Dana Perino received a black eye from a microphone boom knocked over during the commotion.
Al-Zaidi was arrested and reportedly beaten by security officers before being handed over to Iraqi and U.S. authorities.
He was later convicted of assaulting a foreign head of state and sentenced to three years in prison, though he served only nine months before being released for good behavior.