'Zakayo Shoe-ka!’ Memes fly across the internet after Ruto is hit with dusty shoe in Migori

Many, especially on X, used the word 'shoe' to conjure all manner of pun-intended wordplays, with the witty comments and statements flying off the shelves with unprecedented intensity.

The 5-second clip, which captured the exact moment a flying shoe knocked the president's speech off his mouth as he struggled to finish the sentence and calm the chaos that followed, galvanised the internet, from X to TikTok. Creative Kenyans found the perfect opportunity to lampoon the president, caricature the security agencies and cheer the humiliation, not just to him but all political leaders.

Popular X user Nyandia Gachago led the meme battalions, posting a slew of puns relating to the word 'shoe', eventually opening up a creative portal that seemed to run late into Sunday night.

"Na kutamatisha habari za leo, Zakayo lazima ashoe-ke!" she wrote.

Again, she posted, "Migori people ni watu wa Shoe-pavu sana!"

X user Kennedy Obimbo also joined in, saying, "Mine is to echo what all Kenyans are saying. Kwa uyo jamaa wa Migori, pokea shoe-krani zetu!"

Someone else simply wrote, "Dereva Shoe-kisha! Enyewe huyo jamaa ni Shoe-jaa!" 

While still staying on the 'shoe' pun, someone asked, "Shoe-baru boys wamepata m-shoeKiwa?"

On her part, user Diana Mboi said, "Kuna shoe-gli haipendi mbogi!"

"Shoe-d we care? No, we shoe-dint!" yet another tweet went. 

Other people played around with the word 'sole', with the band name 'Sol Generation' as well as the song 'Uliza Kiatu' enjoying sudden resurgence and even streams.

Popular X user Beverlyn Kwamboka also cracked up many when she commented, "Angekuwa amejenga barabara hiyo kiatu haingekuwa na hiyo vumbi yote."

The reactions went from just mere puns to actual parodies and photo memes, with top Kenyan comedians even making quick skits about the incident, many, especially one done by Njugush, going viral overnight.

His parody video, where he cryptically appears with one shoe as he disappears into the darkness, has been viewed by over 340,000 people and garnered a staggering 15,000 'LIKES'. 

One user also posted a popular photoshopped image of President William Ruto behind the DJ deck, headphones in place. He captioned the pic: "Young Ndullah Baby!"

At around the same time, an old tweet, posted on November 3, 2023 resurfaced. In it, X user @Ninanyce had suggested that someone should throw a shoe at President Ruto.

The old tweet reads: "Need someone close to that podium to throw a shoe at that man. A very muddy shoe."

All of a sudden, the old tweet found new life and fresh interactions, with many dubbing the lady behind the tweet a 'Prophetess'.

X user Book Ten only wrote: "Every tweet has a maturity date."

To cap off the busy night, Activist Hanifa Adan, while reacting to people castigating Kenyans for celebrating the shoe incident, wrote: "Take note of everything they’re telling us not to celebrate, it’s exactly what we will celebrate!"

In a separate tweet, she added, "There’s a word cowards and bootlickers love to throw around, 'anarchy'. The moment the public pushes back, they scream “anarchy” like it’s some kind of spell. But tell me, does the state have a monopoly on violence? This same state that’s gunned down unarmed youth, left hundreds of women's bodies dumped in quarries, and watched 21 children burn alive with no one held accountable? What anarchy are you mfs even talking about?"