Comrade Jevin Oyoo reveals details of phone call with President Ruto

Jevin Oyoo, the university student who recently caught national attention after boldly asking President William Ruto to listen to the pleas of Kenyans, has revealed that he indeed got a chance to speak with the Head of State.

In an interview with NTV's Fixing the Nation, Oyoo said the encounter was a rare opportunity and one that he had determined to seize.

“I told myself I would not leave without talking to the President. Getting the chance to address him was not easy. It took effort to reach there,” he said on Monday, August 18.

Oyoo explained that before rising to speak, he assured his peers that he would present their concerns alongside his own.

He recalled advice from his late father, who had always told him that when given a chance at the table with leaders, he should not only present his own needs but also those of the community.

He added that he believes his father would have been proud to see him speak up.

The student said his activism and public appearances had earned him the nickname ‘Omba Omba Comrade’, a tag he has since embraced.

“It takes a lot to be an activist. You have to fight for people and raise the concerns of young people when no one else will. At times, you even follow up on cases of those arrested at police stations. Most of it is thankless work. But getting to meet the President is different,” Oyoo said.

He described the encounter as historic for him, noting the heavy security presence at the event made it difficult to approach the President.

“I met the President nyuma ya tent (behind the tent), which was not easy. I am the first in my family to ever shake hands with a President. I don’t see it as an achievement in itself, but I value that I was able to have a conversation with him,” Oyoo said.

According to him, the President took his phone number, promising to call later.

But some of those around him were left disappointed.

“They told me, ‘After all that talking, you met the President and we are still going back with the same bus we came in,’” Oyoo recalled.

He, however, told himself it did not matter whether a call came or not. To his surprise, he later received a call.

“Shock on me, the President called. At first, I thought it was his aide. I even worried about being threatened or intimidated, but then I saw a text saying, ‘Hello, call.’ I called back and he picked up,” Oyoo narrated.

During that call, he said, the President asked him what he truly wanted.

“At first, I thought of saying I wanted my father back, which is impossible. So I had to think of something practical within the short time I had,” he said.

He told the President about a community-based programme in Uasin Gishu that he and others were running to empower more than 50 youths.

“I explained that we were struggling to get grants for the organisation, and the best support he could give was to help the group grow,” Oyoo said.

According to him, the President promised to follow up on the matter.

On whether he asked for anything personal, Oyoo said he was content with having the chance to present youth concerns.

“The President asked if he could offer me anything. I told him that after our photo together went viral, people were already asking me to feed them for two to three days, which was a challenge for me. He laughed and said he would look into it. Eventually, comrades got a chance to eat,” Oyoo said.

He also revealed that he had been active during recent demonstrations, though he wondered why he did not gain visibility then.

Oyoo argued that many young activists often fail to acknowledge positive efforts by the government.

“Some people dismiss support such as motorbikes or trolleys, saying they are too educated for that. But empowerment often means being given tools. Personal empowerment is key. If you cannot empower yourself at an individual level, how do you expect broader empowerment?” he posed.

Oyoo maintained that the role of young activists is to speak for their peers, even when recognition does not come.

He said meeting the President reinforced his belief in raising youth issues at the highest level, regardless of the challenges.