A development meeting addressed by President William Ruto in Sigor, West Pokot County, ended abruptly on Friday, 16 October, after rival political groups in the crowd heckled local leaders and hurled stones, soil and water bottles, forcing the President to climb down from the roof of his vehicle and sending residents fleeing for safety.

The disruption, reported by The Standard, Radio47 and The Eastleigh Voice, overshadowed what was meant to be a day of project inspections in the area as part of the President's 11-day development tour of the North Rift.

Heckling turns into projectiles

Trouble began when local leaders were invited to speak. According to the reports, Governor Simon Kachapin was the first to be heckled, followed by Senator Julius Murgor, Woman Representative Rael Kasiwai and Sigor MP Peter Lochakapong, as sections of the crowd shouted them down.

Tension rose further when Pokot South MP David Pkosing, who is eyeing the West Pokot governorship, took the microphone. Some residents threw water bottles, soil and stones in his direction, and he was forced to cut his remarks short. The Standard said the President had been addressing residents from the top of his vehicle when the situation deteriorated, and that he came down as people scrambled away.

The meeting was then brought to an end before several leaders had spoken, with dignitaries and members of the public leaving the venue amid fears for their safety. A photograph published by The Standard showed a water bottle flying above security officers as people ran.

Overnight clashes before the visit

The outlets reported that the chaos came against a backdrop of heightened political rivalry in Sigor, where groups said to be allied to Mr Lochakapong and Mr Pkosing clashed overnight and in the early hours of Friday, before the President arrived.

Those clashes allegedly left one person dead and several others critically injured, although Radio47 and The Eastleigh Voice said the circumstances of the reported death and injuries had yet to be fully established. The reports did not carry a statement from the police or the Presidency on the incident.

The disruption has raised concern over political temperatures in West Pokot, where competition for elective seats is intensifying ahead of the 2027 General Election, and over security at large public gatherings in the county.

North Rift development tour

The Sigor stop formed part of a tour of six counties – Trans Nzoia, Uasin Gishu, Nandi, Elgeyo Marakwet, West Pokot and Baringo – running from 10 to 20 October, according to an itinerary published by The Star. The programme features roads, markets, affordable housing, hospitals, technical training institutions and the issuance of title deeds.

In Sigor, the President was scheduled to inspect the Kopach River–Lomut–Sigor–Marich Pass road and the Sigor economic stimulus programme market. He had earlier been due in West Pokot on Wednesday, 14 October, for engagements in Kacheliba and Pokot South, The Star's itinerary showed.

The tour is set to culminate in the national Mashujaa Day celebrations at Kipchoge Keino Stadium in Eldoret on Tuesday, 20 October.

Photo: The Eastleigh Voice – crowds surround the presidential vehicle in Sigor, West Pokot, on 16 October 2026.