The comrade who went viral for openly challenging President William Ruto during the Youth International Day event in Kakamega County on August 12 has revealed the details of his conversation with the Head of State in the wake of the viral incident.
Jevin Oyoo earned plaudits on social media for his brave address aimed at Ruto, where he urged the President to intervene and offer grants to struggling NGOs in his region.
Days after the viral incident, Jevin appeared in a TV interview where he recalled the incidents which followed his viral moment, including snubbing two phone calls from the President himself.
According to the 'comrade', Ruto kept his word after he asked to engage with the President after the event, after which he gave the Head of State his contacts.
"Indeed, I talked to the President 'behind the tent'. It was not a walk in the park. In fact, I made history in my lineage as the first person to talk to the President," Jevin explained. "I did talk to him. He told me to jot his number down, and he would talk to me."
Despite the prospect of a future conversation with the President after giving out his number, Jevin explained that his colleagues, who travelled with him from Uasin Gishu to Kakamega for the event, were disappointed that the conversation only ended in an exchange of contacts.
However, Jevin recalled that Ruto once again surprised him with a call, which came so unexpectedly that he snubbed it twice.
He went on, "Shock on me, he called me. I never picked because I thought it was the PA who would threaten me with forced disappearance."
"He then texted me 'Hello'; I called him back, and he picked up. He asked me what I wanted."
Getting asked such an open-ended question by the President added to the pressure Jevin was feeling, and the comrade recalled being strategic with his next response since he did not only want to look out for his interests.
"I had to think of something to tell him so that he could see that I was not just tabling my own interests. I told him about a programme I was running in Uasin Gishu, which is empowering over 50 youths. It's a community-based organisation and we are struggling to get grants," Jevin explained.
"I asked him to help us get some grants or do something for the organisation. He told me he would look into that."
Asked what he discussed with the President during the 'behind the tent' interaction on August 12, when he first went viral, Jevin declined to comment, insisting he would receive unwarranted calls if he opened up on everything he discussed with the Head of State.
Jevin, a university student, also revealed he was heavily involved in activism and challenging for youth's rights in a path which has earned him the nickname Omba Omba Comrade - a tag he says he has learnt to embrace.
