On July 29th, President William Ruto concluded his coastal tour in Mombasa and Tana River counties, which began on the 26th. During this tour, he emphasized the importance of unity among the country’s leaders and setting aside political differences to achieve national development. This tour followed his recent formation of a broad-based government that included allies from the Orange Democratic Movement to foster national unity.
An unusual incident occurred when Mohammed Ali, a close ally and the Member of Parliament for Nyali constituency, was heckled by youths who prevented him from addressing the crowd. A viral video on social media shows Ali, also known as Jicho Pevu, struggling to calm the hostile audience, who shouted “betrayer, betrayer” at him. The youths were angered by his support for the controversial Finance Bill 2024, which has led to significant unrest and the deaths of many young people.
The incident has sparked mixed reactions online as tensions rise ahead of the anticipated “Nane Nane” protest scheduled for August 8th. Kenyans on Twitter have expressed support for the Mombasa youths, insisting that the youth across the country should continue to hold leaders accountable. They argue that President Ruto’s broad-based government is more focused on benefiting the political elite than addressing the struggles of ordinary Kenyans.
