President William Ruto experienced a surprising and humorous moment during his development tour of Makueni County when a local woman candidly admitted she did not know who he was.
In a viral video from Wednesday, November 12, 2025, the President approached a woman named Rosemary near a newly constructed bridge to discuss the project’s impact.
“Habari yako? Unaitwa nani?” Ruto asked.
“Rosemary,” she replied.
After a brief conversation about the bridge, Ruto asked if she knew him, to which Rosemary candidly responded: “Sijawaikukuona” – meaning she had never seen him before. The President laughed off the unexpected response but continued explaining that the bridge would protect the community from floods and improve safety.
“Hii daraja yenu tumetengeneza, watu watakuwa salama, maji haitawasumbua, mafuriko haitawasumbua, si ndio hivyo? Alafu sasa huko juu nitasukuma hiyo barabara,” he told her.
The incident occurred as Ruto kicked off a week-long tour in Ukambani, focusing on infrastructure and land reform projects. In Makueni, he officially launched the 20-kilometre Emali–Matiliku road, part of the 42-kilometre Emali–Ukia corridor in Ndundune. The Ksh1.1 billion project aims to improve market access by linking trading centres including Kativani, Manywani, Matiliku, Kalamba, Nziu, and Ukia, while connecting Wote town to major transport routes to Nairobi, Kajiado, and Mombasa.
The President highlighted that the road would reduce transport costs, expand trade in perishable goods and livestock, and cut post-harvest losses for farmers.
Ruto also presided over the issuance of 4,140 land title deeds in Emali and Kilome, part of a broader plan to distribute 58,000 title deeds across Makueni, Kitui, and Machakos counties. “We are addressing land ownership challenges to give Kenyans confidence to invest in their property and access credit to improve their livelihoods,” he said.
Despite the candid exchange, Ruto’s Ukambani tour continues to focus on improving infrastructure, land security, and economic opportunities for residents.
