Furious Kenyans on X have accused popular influencer Osama Otero of betrayal after he co-hosted President William Ruto on an a Space session on Friday.
Otero, known for his critical stance against Ruto's administration, had been a prominent voice among the social media activists pushing the "Reject Finance Bill" campaign.
He was also targeted by security agencies during the wave of abductions following the anti-Finance Bill protests that left more than 40 people dead and over 300 others injured, some seriously.
Despite his previous opposition, Otero appeared alongside President Ruto on the official X Space, surprising many of his more than half a million followers.
On Thursday, Otero had discouraged Kenyans from joining the "Engage the President" X Space, moments after State House announced the event.
He was expected to host a parallel Space to counter the President's engagement. "Believe me, the President Ruto Space plus his cabinet will cost not less than 50 million. Every CS will claim they spent 1 million on a good laptop, microphone, and data," he said.
However, on Friday, Otero was seen as a co-host with President Ruto on the official X account. When the President's account faced technical issues, Otero reopened the Space using his account alongside State House Spokesperson Hussein Mohamed.
"Otero is a TRAITOR. Call it what it is," wrote Kimuzi, expressing the sentiment of many Kenyans on X.
Another influential user, Hanifa, said, "How can people be so shameless? I'm in awe but I warned you."
Defending himself, Otero stated that he hosted the President to meet the demands of Kenyans who did not want a government-hosted X Space. "You guys wanted to host the President, you didn't want him to host you. I did exactly that," he said.
President William Ruto apologized for police brutality during the online forum with anti-tax protesters on X. He was responding to Kevin Monari, a protest leader who shared his abduction experience by security forces. The protests, organized via X Spaces, forced Ruto to withdraw his controversial finance bill, shaking his presidency.
Ruto's X Space session, dubbed #EngageThePresident, started over an hour late due to technical difficulties and was scheduled to last for three hours. A section of Kenyans on X boycotted the president's chat and planned a parallel Space to counter the conversation, as they did not want him to control who could speak.
During the president's X Space, where 125,000 people listened, discussions were frank, with some calling him a liar and accusing him of lacking empathy. Ruto responded robustly. A state-funded human rights commission estimates over 40 people died during the protests, most on the day the bill was passed by MPs last week. However, Ruto accused some of inflating the numbers, stating that 25 people were killed.
The proposed tax increases outrage forced Ruto to withdraw the legislation intended to help reduce Kenya's debt burden of over $80bn (£63bn). The demonstrations have since turned into calls for Ruto's resignation and demands for the security forces to face justice over the killing of protesters.
Earlier, Ruto's daughter Charlene tweeted to publicize the opportunity to chat directly with the president: "Young people, the chance of a lifetime awaits you," she posted. Some cabinet members were present for the X Space conversation, though none spoke.
On police brutality, the president said he did not personally instruct the police. "I don't hold absolute power - we're a democracy - I'm not a dictator," he explained. He promised to follow up on abduction issues and take action.
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Several protest participants reported being abducted by state agents, held for hours, intimidated, and released without charges. Before his X Space session, President Ruto delivered a national address on TV, promising spending cuts due to the scrapped tax rises. These include:
- Reducing government spending
- Cutting down on luxuries
- Prioritizing essential services
Ruto expressed condolences but said this "difficult time" was an opportunity for the country to discuss critical issues like taxation, debt, the budget, corruption, the cost of living, unemployment, and opportunities for young people. He reiterated these sentiments during his X Space session.
