Three suspects in Ruto shoe incident released without charges

Three individuals who were arrested for allegedly hurling a shoe at President William Ruto during a public event in Migori have been released without charges after investigations revealed the act was not intentional.

The incident occurred on May 5, as President Ruto was launching a 200-unit affordable housing project in Kehancha, Kuria West Constituency, as part of his ongoing three-day working tour of Migori County.

Security officers moved swiftly to arrest three individuals suspected to be involved.

However, after a thorough review of multiple video recordings, investigators concluded that there was no clear intent to target the Head of State.

A senior security official, who spoke to KBC on condition of anonymity, said the video footage showed one person holding a shoe, possibly mimicking others who were using their phones to record the event.

According to the investigators, someone reportedly complained that the shoe was blocking their view, prompting another individual to knock it aside. The shoe was inadvertently propelled toward the President.

Local leaders, including members of the clergy, condemned the incident, describing it as disrespectful and shameful.

They urged the public to maintain decorum during public events and to support ongoing development initiatives in the region.