Drama ensued on Friday, February 7, as Isiolo Senator Fatuma Dullo got heckled in front of President William Ruto as she rose to speak to address area residents of Isiolo.
Events took a dramatic turn when Dullo rose to speak, only to be met with chants of “Dullo Must Go” from the crowd.
Footage obtained by Kenyans.co.ke showed a visibly agitated audience drowning out her attempts to address them.
Overwhelmed by the persistent chants, Dullo stepped away from the mini-stage used by local leaders, conceding with a brief remark: “There is nothing much to be said here, thank you very much.”
Isiolo Senator Fatuma Dullo during a past meeting on Monday, January 16, 2023.
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Fatuma Dullo
The incident unfolded in the presence of President Ruto, who watched as events transpired. Dullo was among the local leaders scheduled to speak during Ruto’s rally following the ground breaking ceremony for the Isiolo County Aggregation and Industrial Park.
After she got heckled, another local leader who rose to speak got a warm reception and made his address. After his short speech, Ruto brought the rally to an end before the situation got out of hand.
Dullo’s heckling comes just over two weeks after Vihiga Governor Wilber Ottichilo faced a similar fate in front of President Ruto.
During Ruto’s development tour in the Western region, where he officiated the opening of the Luanda Modern Market, Ottichilo was left embarrassed when the crowd turned hostile as he took the microphone. The residents openly expressed their discontent, drowning out his attempts to speak.
In a video accessed by Kenyans.co.ke, the governor faced outright rejection in the President’s presence. “On behalf of the people of Luanda, I would like to send my appreciation…” Ottichilo began, but was quickly overwhelmed by jeers. Unable to regain control, he eventually gave up and walked away.
Ruto, no stranger to witnessing elected leaders being heckled during his nationwide tours, found himself in yet another awkward situation on December 29, 2024. This time, Bomet Governor Hillary Barchok was at the receiving end of public disapproval after a church service.
Footage obtained by Kenyans.co.ke revealed the stark contrast in the crowd’s reaction—they remained upbeat throughout Ruto’s speech but grew visibly agitated the moment the President invited Barchok to speak.
In the video, hundreds of Bomet residents gathered in Koiwa and raised their hands in protest, making it clear they did not want to hear from their governor. Ruto, momentarily at a loss for words, looked on as the situation unfolded.
Barchok attempted to calm the crowd, but his efforts were met with even louder jeers. Shrugging off the incident, he turned to Ruto and attributed the hostility to “internal wrangles” within the county.
President William Ruto addressing residents of Mandera County from the roof at the Moi Stadium on February 4, 2025.
PCS