Political earthquake: The making of tired but defiant voters

Growing public anger is reshaping Kenya's political landscape. [Kipsang Joseph, Standard]

Just a day after the seismic Ol Kalou by-election, where Sammy Douglas Kamau Waweru of the DCP party defeated UDA's candidate by a staggering margin of nearly 30,000 votes, a wave of public anger is sweeping across Kenya.

The pattern is unmistakable: from the heartlands of Mt Kenya to Western and the Rift Valley, citizens are refusing to be bought with handouts, and making their displeasure known dramatically. What was once routine political theatre has become a series of confrontations, jeers and forced exits cutting across regions, parties and offices.

On July 18, 2026, a dramatic incident unfolded in Nyandarua County when Rurii Ward MCA Francis Githaiga was blocked by angry villagers and ordered to produce the goons who allegedly beat and killed a resident during the just-concluded Ol Kalou parliamentary by-election.

They stopped the UDA politician's vehicle as he went about his errands, demanding he hand over those responsible for the attack on voting day. In a video circulating online, a visibly shaken Githaiga is seen trying to calm the crowd and insisting he was not involved, as villagers ordered him to reverse and leave the area, declaring they did not want to be associated with any government-affiliated leader.

The trend is best encapsulated by events that have befallen Public Service Cabinet Secretary Geoffrey Ruku. On November 27, 2025, the day of the Mbeere North by-election, Ruku arrived at the Kanyuambora polling centre expecting business as usual. Instead, he was met with a hostile reception. A video shows Ruku walking inside the polling station moments before a section of citizens confronted him. One citizen told the CS he was not supposed to be inside the station, to which Ruku attempted to push the man outside while holding him by the shoulder. The individual pushed his hand away, refusing to move. As the standoff heated up, more citizens joined in, booing and shouting at the CS while asking him to leave. Ruku eventually walked away from the hostility.

Elsewhere, drama ensued at Magarini polling station after Kilifi South MP Ken Chonga was confronted by angry locals who accused him of voter bribery. In a video, a heated confrontation unfolded as residents surrounded the legislator, questioning his continued presence after casting his vote. A growing crowd escorted Chonga to his vehicle, hurling insults, and the situation quickly escalated as some residents began shoving, prompting his bodyguards to intervene while guiding him to safety. The crowd overwhelmed the security detail, forcing Chonga to quickly enter his vehicle and drive off.

Funerals, once treated as neutral ground for condolence messages, have become frequent flashpoints of public anger. In February 2025, Laikipia MPs Mwangi Kiunjuri and Sarah Korere were jeered and booed by mourners for defending President William Ruto's administration. In March 2025, Trans Nzoia Governor George Natembeya was forced to leave the home of the late Malava MP Malulu Injendi amid chaos during a funeral, as mourners rejected his presence.

In July 2025, at a funeral in Busia County, Teso South MP Mary Emaase was heckled and forced to cut her speech short after she mentioned Raila Odinga, triggering hostility among mourners. The pattern persisted into 2026. In Kabuchai, Bungoma, Webuye West MP Dan Wanyama faced hostility from mourners when he attempted to popularise President Ruto's two-term agenda at a funeral in May 2026. Around the same time in Kisii, South Mugirango MP Sylvanus Osoro and Kitutu Chache North MP Japhet Nyakundi were loudly heckled at a burial over their association with President Ruto.

In Murang'a County in January 2026, Lamu Woman Representative Muthoni Marubu was heckled and forced to flee a funeral after her remarks sparked outrage, with residents rejecting attempts to sell President Ruto's political agenda in the presence of former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua. In Nakuru and other counties, similar scenes have played out, with mourners heckling Ruto allies and forcing some leaders to abandon political speeches during burials.

In February 2024, President Ruto was jeered and booed in Nakuru County when he asked Governor Susan Kihika to address the crowd.

In March 2025, Mumias East MP Peter Salasya was attacked and chased out by a group while attending a match at Nyayo National Stadium, underscoring how resentment towards leaders now follows them even into leisure spaces.

On April 3, 2025, National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung'wah faced the music in his own backyard. While addressing a crowd during President William Ruto's development tour in Ol Kalou, Nyandarua County, the crowd turned hostile as he attempted to sell the government agenda. Amidst the chants, Ichung'wah was heard telling off the hecklers, saying, "no one sells me fear" in Kikuyu dialect. Despite his efforts to calm the situation, the rally attendees refused to listen, making it impossible for him to continue.

On March 27, 2026, Ichung'wah faced another hostile reception in Juja, Kiambu County, when residents openly heckled him in the presence of President Ruto. Trouble began when Ichung'wah rose to speak, with sections of the crowd shouting him down and waving him off. His attempts to continue were repeatedly interrupted by jeers, eventually forcing him to cut his speech short. President Ruto, who was present, did not intervene and observed as the situation unfolded.

The "Wantam" chants reached a crescendo on June 27, 2026, when President Ruto's powerful personal aide, Farouk Kibet, was heckled loudly and embarrassingly in Bungoma County. Kibet has spent the better part of six months camped in Luhya land, working tirelessly to sell President Ruto's re-election bid, largely involving dishing out millions of shillings. Despite a crowd that had reportedly been paid to attend, the function descended into an uncomfortable spectacle. Residents turned the gathering into a protest, repeatedly breaking into loud and defiant chants of "Wantam" that drowned out proceedings and left the leadership visibly rattled. For Farouk Kibet, a man who prides himself on being the president's fixer and dealmaker in Western Kenya, it was a very public reminder that the ground is shifting beneath his feet.

Last weekend, National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang'ula and Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi were booed at Kanduyi Stadium during the finals of the Western Region Secondary Schools Term Two Ball Games, with the crowd drowning out the leaders with boos as they made their way into the stadium. The incident adds to growing evidence of eroding support for senior Kenya Kwanza leaders in the Western region.

In some instances, the hostility has escalated beyond words. On May 18, 2026, North Imenti MP Rahim Dawood was attacked by angry protesters in Makutano Town. Dawood had arrived on foot to show solidarity with residents demonstrating against rising fuel prices. What initially appeared to be a show of support quickly turned chaotic when Dawood attempted to calm the crowd. A section of the demonstrators turned hostile, hurling stones at the MP and his entourage.

In dramatic scenes, his bodyguard was seen shielding him as security officers rushed him away. Protesters repeatedly chanted "Wantam" as the lawmaker was escorted to safety. Despite publicly backing the demonstrations, some protesters accused him of inconsistency, citing an earlier event where he had assured President Ruto that Meru Town would remain peaceful and free from protests.

Beyond heckling, other incidents have involved confrontation and leaders physically fleeing from crowds. In September 2025, Maragua MP Mary Wamaua was forced to flee Kimorori Grounds in Murang'a after a furious crowd confronted her over a disputed development project. A month later, in October 2025, Mbeere South MP Nebart Muriuki was forced to flee after a rowdy crowd charged towards him at Kiritiri market in Embu. In November 2025, Nakuru Governor Susan Kihika was forced to flee to safety after her event in Naivasha was invaded by suspected goons, as tensions around county politics boiled over.

On February 16, 2026, drama unfolded in Thika Town when area MP Alice Nganga was chased away by angry residents during a public event. A video circulating online shows the MP being forced to cut short her appearance at the groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of Thika Stadium. Witnesses say residents openly rejected her presence, accusing her of betraying the people by supporting President William Ruto. Some members of the public reportedly attempted to confront her physically, prompting her security team to escort her away from the venue.

No event is sacred anymore. On May 22, 2026, Uasin Gishu Woman Representative and National Assembly Deputy Speaker Gladys Boss Shollei was chased away by irate residents in Moiben after attempting to distribute milk coolers. The incident, captured on video and widely shared online, sparked political controversy. Deputy Governor Evans Kapkea claimed the backlash was triggered by the distribution exercise being carried out without involving the governor's office. In a swift response, Shollei blamed local politics for the chaos, alleging that an "insecure politician" orchestrated her humiliation.

City lawyer Peter Wena, who famously led Mau Mau veterans in their historic legal battle against the British government, has been watching the unfolding drama with amusement.

"Kenyans have finally understood that power does not reside in State House, and it never did. It resides in the collective voice of people who refuse to be silenced," Wena said.

He added: “Citizens have realised that a politician is not a king, that a vote is not a favour, and that a handout is not a contract. The politician who once bought a vote with a thousand shillings now cannot buy safety with a million. That is not chaos. That is the sound of a nation waking up to its own power. The question is whether our leaders will learn from history, or whether they will continue to repeat the mistakes of the past."