The images of President Uhuru Kenyatta speaking to students of St Bakhita Kiburia Girls High School behind a wire mesh barrier in Kirinyaga county drew immediate criticism on social media.
The president was en route to Kirinyaga University for the sixth annual Devolution Conference when the encounter occurred on March 5, 2019. Similar security measures had been used in 2016 during a public address in Wajir, where he was separated from attendees by a fence.
Online reactions condemned the arrangement, with users comparing the students to prisoners and questioning the necessity of the barrier. One tweet stated, "Why are the girls behind a wire mesh, are they a security threat? They look like prisoners and not students!" Another remarked, "The fence makes it look like he’s inspecting livestock or something."
Supporters of the president defended the security protocols, while critics argued the measures reflected a broader pattern of distancing from public engagement. The incident reignited discussions about presidential accessibility and crowd management practices.
