Ruto’s heavily-armed bodyguards divide opinion on social media
When Deputy President William Ruto arrived in Kibra on Sunday afternoon to drum up support for Jubilee Party candidate McDonald Mariga in the upcoming by election on November 7, 2019, one thing caught the public’s attention.
It was the unfamiliar sight of two heavily-armed bodyguards who were part of the DP’s tight security team.
The rare sight prompted Suna East MP Junet Mohammed to criticize the DP on Twitter.
“This is how Ruto was guarded and came to ask for votes today in kibra and then you lie to people ground iko Sawa. Kibra is ODM and ODM is kibra,” Junet tweeted.
This is how Ruto was guarded and came to ask for votes today in kibra and then you lie to people ground iko Sawa. Kibra is ODM and ODM is kibra . pic.twitter.com/XeeL3FDdc5
— Hon. Junet Mohamed (@JunetMohamed) October 27, 2019
His tweet sparked varied reactions online.
There are those who justified the DP’s heavy security to the chaos witnessed in Kibra during this campaign period
“Musalia Mudavadi was stoned shamelessly in broad daylight by hardcore goons. Deputy President has a team fed by NIS to undertake thorough risk assessment and mitigation,” Benji Ndolo tweeted.
“He is second in command in Kenya for your information,” Earnest Mananga wrote.
And then there are others who felt it was an unnecessary show of might.
“Mariga’s security team, Kibra is not an Al Shabaab zone.. Why remind kibra residents of the many sufferings they have encountered in the hands of the hustler Ruto,” Ombati Edwin commented.
“How Ruto was campaigning for Mariga in Kibra today. He mobilized even Recee Squad, you would be tempted to imagine he was campaigning in Kismayu,” Mark Dianya wrote.