In a tense fundraiser held in Kisii in September 2007, President William Ruto, then the Eldoret North Member of Parliament, was forcefully ejected while Roads Minister Simeon Nyachae was present.
At that time, Ruto was a member of the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party and part of the Pentagon group that supported Langata MP Raila Odinga’s presidential campaign, attending a fundraiser organized by Nyachae.
Ruto was accompanied by Omingo Magara, the South Mugirango Member of Parliament. Police had to fire shots into the air to disperse a group of aggressive youths who had attacked Ruto, compelling him to flee from the fundraising event in Kisii District.
The incident signaled early signs of violent campaigning when a group of youths, clad in red shukas and with their faces painted, attacked Ruto and ODM treasurer Omingo Magara shortly after they arrived by helicopter.
Ruto Receives Hostile Reception While in Kisii
The leaders quickly reboarded the aircraft, but they had already sustained injuries from clubs and metal rods thrown at them.
After the assault, Ruto condemned the incident, accusing President Mwai Kibaki’s administration of orchestrating the attack.
“This is not only satanic but also primitive for a government to watch as elected leaders are harassed by armed youths,” Ruto stated.
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Ruto and his colleagues, including the local Member of Parliament, asserted their right to attend the gathering, which had been organized by Kibaki’s supporters to raise funds for local youth.
Roads Minister Simeon Nyachae, however, claimed that Ruto and Omingo Magara were not invited and stated that he should not be held responsible for the ensuing chaos.
“We did not invite them to the meeting, and we are not to blame for what befell them,” Nyachae was quoted as saying.
Nyachae Claims Ruto and Magara Were Not Invited to Fundraiser
Simeon Nyachae, at the time, was one of the leaders who was very close to President Kibaki from the Gusii community.
This incident occurred months before the 2007 general elections, during a period of high-octane politics.
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The main presidential contenders at the time were Raila Odinga and President Mwai Kibaki. Odinga’s team, known as the Pentagon, included five prominent politicians: William Ruto, Charity Ngilu, Joe Nyagah, Najib Balala, and Musalia Mudavadi.
On Kibaki’s side, he was supported by notable politicians, including the late President Daniel Arap Moi, Uhuru Kenyatta, and Moses Wetangula, the late Professor George Saitoti and Simeon Nyachae.
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