On Sunday, February 9, 2025, elders from the Somali community publicly apologized to President William Ruto following an incident where he was heckled during his visit to Isiolo County.
The apology came two days after the incident, which took place during the President’s visit to the region on February 7, 2025.
During the visit, a group of youths disrupted the President’s address, leading to an outcry among local leaders and elders.
The apology was made by Abdulkadir Shariff, the chairperson of the Somali Council of Elders, who spoke during a press conference held in Isiolo.
Shariff expressed his community’s regret over the heckling incident, stating that it was uncalled for and embarrassing.
“We are not happy with what happened, especially us Somalis and the good people of Isiolo. There was no reason to heckle the President,” Shariff said.
He emphasized that the actions of the disruptive youths did not reflect the views of the Somali community or the people of Isiolo.
Shariff also sought to explain the cause of the disturbance. According to him, the youths who caused the disruption were not locals but intoxicated individuals who were likely brought into the area from outside.
“These were drunk youths, and if you look closely, you will see that they are not people from Isiolo. What they did was wrong, and that is why I am offering my sincerest apologies to the President,” Shariff added.
He also assured the public that efforts were underway to prevent a repeat of the incident.
In addition to Shariff, Idle Hassan, the Secretary General of the Somali elders' group, also condemned the heckling. Hassan highlighted the President’s support for pastoralist communities and urged respect for the Head of State.
“We strongly condemn, in the strongest terms possible, the incident where people tried to heckle the President. He is our leader, our father, and he must be respected,” Hassan said.
He also joined the apology, expressing gratitude for Ruto’s work on behalf of pastoralists.
“We thank you, President Ruto, for being hardworking and for your efforts to address the issues of pastoralists,” Hassan added.
The heckling occurred during a public event where President Ruto was addressing local residents. Some members of the crowd, believed to be from rival political camps, started shouting and causing a scene.
President Ruto responded to the disruption by accusing drug dealers of being behind the incident.
“I am aware that drug dealers have sent these youths to come and cause a disturbance at this meeting,” Ruto stated. He warned the youths, saying,
“You cannot threaten the government. A foreigner cannot come and turn Isiolo into a drug den. It won’t happen.”
Earlier that day, Isiolo Senator Fatuma Dullo was also heckled by the crowd as she attempted to speak. The crowd began chanting “Dullo Must Go” as she took the microphone, disrupting her address.
Despite the interruptions, President Ruto remained composed and continued with his speech, calling for calm in the area.
