by Frankline Oduor
Monday February 10, 2025
Just two days after President William Ruto was heckled by a crowd he was addressing during his recently concluded 4-day tour of the Northeastern region, elders from the Somali Community have apologised to the President.
Speaking during a press conference in Isiolo on Sunday, the elders led by Abdulkadir Shariff the chairperson of the Somali Council of Elders, announced that they were not happy with the heckling that the President received in the area.
''Our main reason for coming out to speak today is as a result of what happened during the President's visit while addressing residents at the Prisons land,'' Shariff stated.
''We are not happy about what happened especially we the Somalis and all the good people of Isiolo. There was no reason to heckle the Head of State,'' he added.
According to the elders, the heckling was caused by intoxicated youths from outside the region, suggesting they may have been transported from elsewhere.
''Drunk youths who even if you keenly look at them are not people from Isiolo. Whatever they did was not right at all and that is why I want to offer my sincerest apologies to our President,'' Shariff argued.
''It was just a slight problem but I want to assure you that we are working to ensure that the mistake is ratified.''
At the same time, the elders caucus Secretary General Idle Hassan also condemned the heckling of the President, suggesting that Ruto has been very comprehensive on pastoralist affairs.
''We are condemning in the strongest terms possible the incident where people tried heckling the Head of State. He is our father who equally has his respect and must be respected,'' Hassan echoed.
''I am joining the others in offering my apologies due to the incident. That will not be repeated and we want to thank you because you are hardworking and very comprehensive on pastoralists affairs,'' he added.
During the incident that happened on Friday, sections of the youth from rival political camps engaged in shouting matches, which prompted Ruto to claim that some had been sent by drug dealers to disrupt the meeting.
"I am aware that drug dealers have sent the youth to come and cause a disturbance at this meeting. Be warned, young people—you cannot threaten the government. A foreigner cannot come and turn Isiolo into a drug den. It won't happen," Ruto asserted.
Earlier on the day, Isiolo Senator Fatuma Dullo also got heckled in front of the President as she rose to address the area residents of Isiolo. The crowd began to chant, "Dullo Must Go'' as she took the microphone to address them.