Charlene Ruto: A Day With the President's Daughter

Charlene, the President's family's most extroverted child, exudes a down-to-earth charm - from exchanging high fives to grooving to local tunes and enjoying meals with villagers.

Spend a day with her and you will notice how seamlessly she interacts with everyone around her. Residing in the State House, her life in the public eye is ever-present, particularly as that of her family. Throughout it all, she deals with scrutiny hurled her way from the media and Kenyans. She strives to strike a balance between her private life with the expectations of a public persona. Additionally, she also wrestles with the constant pressure of meeting her unspoken set of standards.

Charlene finds it easy to handle criticism. Recently, she stirred up some controversy by claiming that she sold 'smokie kachumbari' during her time at Daystar University. Many were sceptical of her story and could not believe that the daughter of the then Deputy President would resort to selling smokies to support her university lifestyle. Did Charlene go too far with the 'hustler narrative'? When challenged by Emmanuel Too from KTN about her business skills while in University, Charlene maintains her story, refusing to back down. "Why fabricate the story?" she asks as she looks Emmanuel straight in the eye.

Charlene highlights the importance of the financial experience she gained from juggling her university workload and hustle. She stresses that these types of lessons are essential for young people from any background to learn, as quick money equals minimal accountability. Despite not being a serious person in her earlier years, Charlene now realises how valuable these teachings were. As part of Charlene’s agenda, she will be presenting a 30-step initiative developed collectively with young people in the coming days.

Charlene has set out to pursue several endeavours that revolve around the themes of youth welfare, climate action and agriculture. To this end, she is actively involved in the implementation of related projects, including beekeeping and tree planting that fall directly under the ambit of her goals. Additionally, she aims to empower girls by addressing issues like early pregnancies and menstrual health. Some people believe that Charlene should take on more responsibilities and include programs for boys as well. However, she believes that it is crucial for men to step up and assist young men dealing with mental health issues, as well as drug and substance abuse, acknowledging that she cannot tackle everything alone.

Charlene acknowledges that young men have a significant role to play in enhancing the agricultural value chain. To this effect, she encourages them to explore agriculture content creation and in turn circulate their vast wisdom with the wider public, leveraging her unique farming experience as a useful reference point, if need be. Although Charlene acknowledges that she cannot match the running abilities of Eliud Kipchoge, she is determined to pursue her goals relentlessly. Drawing inspiration from her past as a goalkeeper, she is committed to ensuring that none of her aspirations slip through her grasp.