Kimani Ichung’wah heckled during Ruto’s Nyandarua tour

National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah faced a hostile reception in Ol Kalou on Thursday while accompanying President William Ruto on his five-day tour of the Mt Kenya region.

Trouble began when ICT Cabinet Secretary Kiambu Governor William Kabogo concluded his speech and Ruto invited Ichung’wah to address the crowd. 

As he climbed onto the vehicle and waved, signaling gratitude for the opportunity to speak, the audience erupted in jeers and protests. Some attendees blew vuvuzelas, drowning out his voice.

“Calm down. Let me tell you, I am not someone to be shouted at. I want to tell President Ruto that here in Ol Kalau and the entire Nyandarua, no one can be intimidated,” the Kikuyu MP said. 

He attempted to discuss the government’s affordable housing plan but was forced to cut his speech short as the crowd grew more restless.

Curiously, as soon as he stepped down, the crowd fell silent, allowing Ruto to introduce other speakers. 

However, they, too, faced a hostile audience. Former Cabinet Secretary Mwangi Kiunjuri and Nyandarua Woman Representative Faith Gitau were also jeered, forcing Ruto to urge speakers to keep their remarks brief.

Ichung’wah’s chilly reception followed remarks he made yesterday, where he mocked critics who claimed Ruto could not visit certain parts of Mount Kenya following his fallout with former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua.

“The political swindlers should be removed from the mountain. They claimed that the president couldn’t enter Meru, yet here he is. Some said the president would never set foot in Maua or Mt. Kenya, and those individuals are the ones who will determine the outcome of the 2027 elections,” he said on Wednesday. 

As videos of the heckling went viral, Nyandarua Senator John Methu made light of the situation, suggesting that local leaders had failed to pay for the audience’s attention.

“The Sh2000 we received as Nyandarua residents was for listening to Ruto only. Other politicians should have paid separately for us to listen to them,” Methu quipped.

Ichungwa has been a vocal supporter of government policies despite Kenya’s populace.