Kehancha Town, Migori County— It seems the phrase “putting yourself in someone else’s shoes” took a literal turn on Sunday when President William Ruto found himself in an unexpected duel with airborne footwear during his public address.
Fresh off launching a 298-unit affordable housing project, the president was mid-speech when an unidentified individual decided to test his resilience—by hurling a shoe straight at him. Unlike near-miss incidents of the past, this one made direct contact, forcing Ruto to pause for several minutes as his security team scrambled into action.
President Ruto was hit badly, almost fainting on stage. His security detail, however, was less amused, swiftly apprehending the airborne-footwear enthusiast before they could attempt a sequel.
Online Reactions: The Shoe That Launched a Thousand Memes
As expected, the internet wasted no time turning the unexpected footwear fiasco into a viral sensation. Social media platforms were flooded with memes, jokes, and witty commentary, with many Kenyans—especially the outspoken Gen Z movement—mocking the incident as symbolic of the growing dissatisfaction with the President’s leadership.
Twitter, TikTok, and Facebook became battlegrounds of satire, with users remixing the video of the flying shoe into everything from slow-motion cinematic edits to exaggerated commentary about Ruto’s “nationwide rejection tour”. Some joked that the shoe was simply delivering a message on behalf of struggling Kenyans, while others speculated that it was a metaphor for the rising cost of living—because even shoes are tired of walking through economic hardship.
While some leaders condemned the act, calling for respect and decorum, the online community seemed to have already declared the shoe-thrower a “hero of the people”, with calls for them to be awarded honorary citizenship in the land of memes and satire.
