Kenyans Turn Ruto’s Mastery of North Eastern Roads into a Viral Meme
On January 28, during the launch of the new Democratic Action Party of Kenya (DAP-K) headquarters, former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua left the audience in stitches with a humorous story about how President William Ruto won over the hearts of the Mt. Kenya people.
He explained that Ruto had a unique way of impressing residents—by effortlessly listing their local roads and markets, making it seem as if he knew every corner of their villages.
Amid loud laughter from politicians attending the event, Gachagua recalled how Ruto’s knowledge of rural roads in the Mt. Kenya region shocked locals, making them feel deeply connected to him.
He narrated how, during the campaigns, Ruto seemed to know every small road and marketplace by name, which left Kikuyus completely amazed.
He said: “Naona huyo jamaa amekwama hapo kwenu. Nyinyi mko na bahati but we are here to advise you. Alienda kwenu siku sita, kwetu he was there six days out of seven, every week. Hakuna barabara hajui kwa jina. Hakuna soko hajui kwa jina. And he would memorise, we were very impressed. He would mention a road and Kikuyus would go, ‘Eh eh eh eh!'”
Gachagua’s remarks resurfaced online after President Ruto’s recent visit to the North Eastern region, where he unveiled various development plans for the marginalized counties.
During his tour, Ruto announced ambitious projects, including a plan to expand the road network to improve accessibility and drive economic growth.
One of the major projects he highlighted was the construction of the 750-kilometer Isiolo-Modogashe-El Wak-Mandera road, which aims to integrate the North Eastern region with the rest of the country.
It was at this point that Kenyans noticed a familiar pattern—Ruto, once again, was mesmerizing the crowds by fluently listing the roads and towns, just as he did in Mt. Kenya.
Standing on his campaign vehicle under the scorching Isiolo sun, surrounded by an enthusiastic crowd, Ruto passionately detailed how the road would stretch across the region.
“Ndio barabara itoke Mandera, ikuje Ramu, ikuje Garre, ikuje El-Wak, ikuje Kobo, ikuje pale Kotulo, ikuje Tarbat, ipitie hapa Wajir, iende Samatan, iteremke Modogashe, ifike Isiolo, iende Nairobi…”
The moment this part of his speech hit social media, Kenyans quickly turned it into a meme, blending it with Gachagua’s earlier comments about Ruto’s ability to captivate the masses using his impressive road knowledge.
Kenyans Turn Ruto’s Speech into a Viral Trend
On TikTok, creative Kenyans wasted no time jumping on the trend. Some users made hilarious videos showcasing the list of town names on a chalkboard, with a “teacher” helping viewers memorize them like a classroom lesson.
Others took it a step further, choreographing dance routines inspired by Ruto’s rhythmic recitation of the towns.
T-shirts bearing the President’s now-famous road list have already started appearing, and the trend is spreading like wildfire.
Popular TikToker Freddie Carlo Comedian posted a video of himself dancing to the audio of Ruto’s speech, which has since gained over 140,000 likes and an incredible 1.6 million views in just two days.
Another well-known comedian, Mokaya, created a video humorously portraying Ruto memorizing local roads before heading out to address crowds. His video has gone viral, gathering over 200,000 likes and closing in on 2 million views.
For the past few days, the meme has taken over Kenyan social media, reinforcing Gachagua’s earlier comments on Ruto’s political tactics—winning people’s trust by showing an in-depth understanding of their daily lives.
Ruto has mastered the art of using detailed knowledge of rural road networks to capture the attention of crowds, leaving them in awe and earning their admiration.
Still reflecting on Ruto’s strategy, Gachagua quipped, “This man conned a community. He conned all of us—our bishops, our reverends, our pastors. That is the same script. If you fall for him, you will cry just like the people of the Mountain.”
The viral memes and videos show how Kenyans are not only entertained by Ruto’s speeches but also deeply aware of the clever tactics he uses to connect with voters.
Whether through humor or analysis, this trend has sparked widespread discussions on how politicians appeal to the masses—and how Kenyans are quick to turn such moments into internet gold.
Join Gen z and millennials TaskForce official 2025 WhatsApp Channel To Stay Updated On time the ongoing situation https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaWT5gSGufImU8R0DO30
