Things turned ugly fast at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre yesterday when university students hosting at Oketch Salah’s KICC event rejected the controversial figure, ditching planned pro-government chants for loud anti-Ruto slogans.
Oketch Salah – the businessman who often calls himself Raila Odinga’s adopted son – had billed the gathering as “Linda Comrades”, a forum to bring together youth from campuses across the country. Invites promised discussions on opportunities, empowerment, and maybe some networking.
Guests included comedians like Oga Obinna and Omosh One Hour, plus other influencers. Orange branding everywhere, nodding to ODM roots, and talk of pushing the “Tutaam” line – that slogan tied to supporting the broad-based government setup with President Ruto.
But the crowd had other ideas. Videos flying around online show the mood shifting quickly. What started as cheers flipped to boos. Students broke into “Yote Yawezekana Bila Ruto” – everything’s possible without Ruto.
The chant echoed through the hall, drowning out speakers. Some reports say goons got involved, chasing away dissenting voices or protecting the stage. Salah and his team ended up slipping out early, the event cut short amid the tension.
This backlash didn’t come from nowhere. Many young people feel let down by ODM’s cooperation with the Kenya Kwanza side. Gen-Z protests last year shook things up, pushing demands for change outside old alliances.
When figures like Salah – seen by some as opportunists – try rallying support for the current setup, resistance flares.
Salah hit back later online and in clips. He downplayed the disruption, calling it work by a few troublemakers paid to spoil the day. “We achieved what we set out to do,” he insisted in one post, thanking those who showed up peacefully.
He stuck to his guns on unity, saying division only hurts the youth. No direct apology or backtrack – just pushing forward with the message of protecting comrades’ interests.
Out in Nairobi’s campuses and estates, the episode sparked plenty of talk. One student at a city cafe said it showed real feelings on the ground – no more blind loyalty.
Another shrugged, calling events like this more show than substance anyway. Social media split too: supporters praised Salah for trying to bridge sides; critics mocked the failed rally as tone-deaf.
KICC halls have seen big political moments over the years, but yesterday felt raw. Security kept things from boiling over completely; no major injuries were reported. Still, the hasty exit for organisers left an image – a planned celebration turning into rejection.
Oketch Salah keeps stirring debate wherever he goes. Ties to the Odinga family bring attention but also scepticism from those who question his role. Past claims and business moves add layers. This KICC mess just adds another chapter.
As evening traffic jammed Nairobi streets, clips kept circulating. Youth voices rang clear in those chants. Whatever Salah planned, the message that landed was different. Politics here shifts fast, and yesterday proved it again.
Comrades spoke loud – the forum became their platform, not his. For now, dust settles on another heated day in Kenyan youth activism. Salah vows to keep engaging. But next time, the crowd might write the script again.
