A man has become the unexpected star of President William Ruto's Kilifi meeting after showing up to the event in a manner that made it impossible for anyone in attendance to look anywhere else.
The enthusiastic supporter arrived having painted his entire body in UDA party brand colours, turning himself into a walking, breathing declaration of political loyalty that drew instant attention from the moment he set foot at the venue.
But he did not stop at the body paint. Across his belly, in letters visible from a distance, he had written Ruto Tutam, leaving absolutely no ambiguity about where he stands in Kenya's increasingly charged political landscape.
The reaction from the crowd around him was immediate and electric. People parted to let him through, cheering as he made his way across the grounds, with many following behind to get a closer look at the man who had clearly decided that holding a placard or wearing a t-shirt was simply not enough to express the depth of his support.
In a political environment where public displays of loyalty to the Ruto administration have become increasingly uncommon amid protests, fuel prices, and a rising tide of criticism, the sight of a man willing to paint himself head to toe and inscribe the President's name on his stomach stood out sharply.
Whether it reflects genuine grassroots support that gets lost in the noise of social media criticism or simply one man's extraordinary commitment to standing out in a crowd is a question Kenyans are debating online.
What is beyond debate is that he achieved his goal completely. At a meeting attended by many, he was the one everybody was talking about.
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