President William Ruto addresses residents of Piny Oyie in Suna West, Migori County after commissioning the sub county office on May 4, 2025.
The evening of May 4, 2025 remains etched in the memory of Kehancha Town in Kuria West, Migori County.
On that day, a startling incident occurred during President William Ruto’s four day working tour of the region.
As the Head of State addressed a crowd in a region now known for its political support of him, a shoe was hurled in his direction, narrowly missing its target.
The act shocked the nation, sparked international headlines and raised serious questions about the presidential security detail. Many Kenyans wondered how such a breach could happen in what was presumed a politically safe area.
In the immediate aftermath, security forces launched a crackdown detaining several young men.
That same evening, after President Ruto had departed, following the launch of an affordable housing project, police swept through Kehancha Town and arrested 17 individuals and four of them would later be identified as the main suspects.
Hezron Moheri (22), Paul Mutongori (18), Nicholas Mwita and Emmanuel Chacha Gisiri have maintained their innocence.
In Kamasincha village, the families of Mr Moheri and Mr Mutongori are in disbelief. They claim the two weren’t even at the rally.
The two families, now united by anxiety and frequent court appearances, are pleading for justice.
Mr Moheri recalls May 4 as an ordinary Sunday. He woke around 9am to help his mother plaster mud on the walls of their home, a traditional method used in rural areas.
He worked until 3pm and only remembered the president’s visit when he saw helicopters overhead.
Curious, he walked to Kehancha Town hoping to catch a glimpse of the event. However, by the time he arrived, the helicopters were already lifting off and the president had left.
Disappointed, Mr Moheri went to a local entertainment spot to play pool, then to a nearby bar to watch football. It was there that police officers burst in and arrested him.
Mr Mutongori was also arrested that evening. Although he attended the rally, he denies any involvement in the disturbance.
When he failed to return home, his parents Joseph Chacha and Esther Marwa began a desperate search. They eventually found him at Kehancha Police Station where he had been detained along with Moheri and two others.
For Mr Gisiri, he claims he wasn’t near the rally. He says he spent that day 150 meters underground in a local gold mine.
A recent high school graduate, Gisiri had been working to save money for university. That evening, while sipping tea in a Kehancha hotel, he was allegedly abducted by plainclothes officers and taken to the police station.
The young men initially thought they would be charged with minor offenses like loitering or disorderly conduct.
But on May 5, they were photographed, their finger prints taken and told by officers from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) that they were being charged with a capital offense, attempting to harm the President.
They were held in custody for 14 days they were eventually released on April 25, each on a bond of Sh100,000.
Family that supports the President
Their families had to surrender land title deeds to secure the bail. Investigating officer John Njogu argued that the suspects might flee if released, but prosecutor Andrew Kuntai contested this.
Senior Principal Magistrate John Paul Nandi allowed their release on the condition they report to Mr Njogu every Monday.
The case is set to be mentioned again on June 26, 2025, when the court will decide whether the suspects should face charges of treason and inciting public disturbance.
Under Kenyan law, treason defined as acts that endanger state security carries the death penalty.
Back in Kamasincha, the suspects’ families struggle to reconcile their sons’ arrests with their longstanding political loyalty to President Ruto.
“We are a family that supports the President. He has helped us with affordable fertiliser and improved the gold market. Why would my son harm him?”
Mr Mutongori’s father, a disabled man who relies on his son for support also expressed his distress.
“I own land, but I can't farm it myself. Its title deed is now in court and that worries me more than anything.”
His mother also provided physical evidence, the shoes her son wore that day. She argued they do not match the one seen flying in viral videos of the incident.
In nearby Nyangoto Village, Mr Gisiri’s mother Tabitha Nyaitonyi, a widow, echoed the same concern.
“My son supports this household through gold mining. If he’s locked away, we’ll definitely suffer,” she said in an interview.
Nightmare for four families
The incident has taken a toll on the families involved not just financially, but emotionally and psychologically. What was once a distant, high-level political event has now become a nightmare for four ordinary families.
Their plea is simple: justice, truth and a fair trial.
The families maintain that their sons are innocent victims caught in a rush to find scapegoats.
They asked that the courts and the public not to let fear and political pressure override due process.
As the judicial process continues, the fate of the "Kehancha Four" now rests in the hands of the courts.
