Mathare Member of Parliament Anthony Olouch was heckled on Tuesday in the presence of a host of senior leaders, including President William Ruto.
During a stopover in the Mathare area, the MP encountered a hostile crowd from his constituency who engaged in chants of “Olouch Must Go!”.
The MP had been allowed to speak by Deputy President Kithure Kindiki, but as soon as he was handed the microphone, the crowd turned hostile, jeering him.
Footage obtained by Kenyans.co.ke showed Olouch pressing on in his address, oblivious to what was happening around him as Ruto, Kindiki, Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja, Nairobi Women Representative Esther Passaris, and nominated Senator Karen Nyamu looked on.
In the footage, Sakaja is seen attempting to calm the crowd down, to no avail. The crowd grew more agitated as the chants grew louder before Olouch finished his short speech and handed the microphone to another leader.
Olouch is no stranger to controversy. In July 2023, Oluoch was arrested and charged with engaging in subversive activities by mobilizing the public to participate in anti-government demonstrations. He was represented by a team of 20 lawyers and was subsequently released on bail.
The MP’s heckling puts him in a growing list of politicians heckled in the presence of Ruto as many Kenyans take advantage of the President’s rallies to express their disquiet with their leaders.
The latest comes just a month after Isiolo Senator Fatuma Dullo was heckled in Ruto’s presence during a political gathering in Isiolo. Dullo was met with chants of "Dullo Must Go” from the crowd as the visibly agitated audience drowned out her attempts to address them.
Overwhelmed by the persistent chants, Dullo stepped away from the mini-stage used by local leaders, conceding with a brief remark: “There is nothing much to be said here; thank you very much.”
Before Dullo’s experience, Vihiga Governor Wilber Ottichilo also faced a similar fate in front of President Ruto.
During Ruto’s development tour in the Western region, where he officiated the opening of the Luanda Modern Market, Ottichilo was left embarrassed when the crowd turned hostile as he took the microphone. The residents openly expressed their discontent, drowning out his attempts to speak.
Ruto, no stranger to witnessing elected leaders being heckled during his nationwide tours, found himself in yet another awkward situation on December 29, 2024. This time, Bomet Governor Hillary Barchok was at the receiving end of public disapproval after a church service.
