National

By Esther Dianah | 20 hours ago

When President William Ruto embarked on his tour of Nairobi County early this week, all that was expected were multitudes warming up to his visit.

But as he ended his tour on Friday, anger and disappointment continued to be expressed among city dwellers mostly through social media. 

The incident that followed the president's visit to Kibra where a dead foreigner was left lying along Ngong road, said to have been knocked down by his motorcade, raised an uproar on the socials with users terming the president, a ‘chaotic man’.

“Why is this president so chaotic?” was a question posted by Naz, an angry netizen, following the daylight killing of the foreigner no identified as Charles Frederick, a British citizen.

Road accidents occur so often, but it's not every day that a presidential motorcade causes one, taking lives.

When Ruto set out for the tour, the goal was to get in touch with the city's people and to speak with them explaining his plans that have been facing ferocious criticism.

However, the many dark incidents that have followed his tour, which included criminal gangs robbing residents in the vicinity of the presidents tour, disruptions to businesses and the closure of schools has pushed him further from his goal.

Kenyans on X said that if the president works from the office, there won’t be as much chaos affecting business operations and network disruptions as has been seen in the week.

“Ruto’s rallies are doing more harm than good, deaths fueling division, wasting resources, and ignoring real issues. Kenya needs solutions, not endless politicking. Akae tu State House afanye kazi,” a netizen, KenyaUnchained, wrote on X.

Traffic rules and right of way

The death of the British national has further raised a debate on the issue of the right of way and road privileges, with some stating that a security protection to a V.I.P convoy does not supersede human life.

According to the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA), all pedestrians, cyclists, and all other road users have right to access roads, but are required to act responsibly for safety.

“With specific rules for right-of-way, including emergency vehicles and pedestrians,” NTSA’s rule on right of way states.

The law states that emergency vehicles with right of way are ambulances, fire engines, police vehicles with blaring sirens and flashing lights.

The president and the deputy president are entitled to special clearance on roads and highways during traffic snarl-ups only. During such situations, the law allows motorists to give way to presidential motorcades, failure to which,  fines or imprisonment can be imposed if one is charged and found guilty.

Decrying safety concerns and business disruptions following the president’s tour, Dexter, a X platform user said, “at this rate, the safest place to be in this country is in your own house”.

“No Thika road rampage, no business closures, no road closures, no network disruptions and No Tourist deaths,” a netizen, Okara Marangu wrote, inferring to a condition whereby the president works from office instead of holding rallies.

Many Kenyans have been decrying the high cost of living and insecurity during Ruto’s administration, and now his rallies, which are accompanied by reported dark incidents, have aggravated the anger.

“It's so cruel and so unfair to have foreigners killed in our own country. This is a bad international image, and no one will wish to visit this tyrannical shit of a country,” a netizen, Dexter wrote.

Whereas many are angered by the incident, and the presidential tour, a section of Kenyans say that accidents occur, and that it is not unique that a vehicle in the president’s motorcade has caused one.

“Accident hufanyika kila time bro, since it was presidential motorcade doesn't mean it was deliberate, let’s not politicize everything,” one wrote responding to a critic.

Another, Sylah Vaati, said that, “Presidential motorcade has the right of way that's a law, the moment this guy saw a clear way you just don't cross because it's a zebra crossing without checking to your right and left side”.

The accident occurred along Ngong Road when the vehicles escorting president William Ruto to Kibra, according to eyewitnesses, hit the foreigner, running over him and killing him on the spot.