President William Ruto was briefly startled on Thursday, February 12, after a man made a desperate attempt to get close to him during a public address in Wajir County.
The Head of State was in Wajir for the second day of his Northern Kenya development tour, where he presided over the disbursement of funds under the National Youth Opportunities Towards Advancement (NYOTA) programme.
The initiative targets young people across the country with capital support aimed at boosting entrepreneurship and employment.
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Tension gripped the gathering when a local man suddenly sprinted toward the podium from the right side, approaching the President from his blind side as he addressed the crowd.
The unexpected move prompted an immediate reaction from the presidential security detail.
In a video seen by fmfixhub.co.ke, security officers swiftly tackled the man just seconds before he could reach the President.
The force used in subduing the individual appeared to momentarily unsettle the Head of State, who nearly lost his balance as the commotion unfolded behind him.
Despite the brief security scare, President Ruto maintained composure and urged his security team to handle the situation calmly.
“Leave him, leave him. Let him sit there at the front; I will speak to him after this,” the President was heard saying, signalling restraint and attempting to defuse the situation.
The incident highlights growing instances of members of the public attempting direct interactions with the President during public engagements.
In recent weeks, similar scenes have been witnessed, largely attributed to Ruto’s hands-on approach and willingness to engage with ordinary citizens during development tours.
On February 6, during a NYOTA Capital Disbursement event at the Jomo Kenyatta Showground in Mkomani, Mombasa County, another young man breached security and made his way to the podium.
The two briefly interacted, with the youth revealing he had been trailing the President across several NYOTA events nationwide. However, the interaction ended shortly after it emerged that the man was not among the programme’s beneficiaries.
During his Northern Kenya visit, President Ruto also used the platform to defend his presence at NYOTA events, dismissing claims from sections of the opposition that the initiative was being used as a campaign tool.
“I personally came here to see the disbursement of the funds to you because you are important and you matter. Your destiny is important to me, to your parents, and to the nation of Kenya,” he stated.
Additionally, the President announced that the Kenya-Somalia border will officially reopen in April this year following years of deliberations and security assessments — a move expected to boost trade and cross-border relations.
While Thursday’s incident ended without injuries, it is likely to renew discussions around security arrangements at presidential public events, especially amid increasing public attempts to access the Head of State directly.