The announcement of the ‘Office of the First Daughter’ by Charlene Ruto, the daughter of Kenyan President William Ruto, recently caused a media frenzy. Despite being the second daughter of the president, Charlene Ruto has held several high-profile events and meetings since her father’s inauguration in September.
Speaking to participants at the 2022 You Lead Summit at the East African Community Headquarters in Arusha, Tanzania, Charlene Ruto claims she works in the ‘Office of the First Daughter’ and has a team. According to Charlene, here are details of this office:
- Office of the First Daughter” is a private entity.
- It has a principal advisor who is also a politician, by the name, Mike Sagana.
- The head of Trade and Investment is Jermain Momanyi
- The office has an independent structure and facilitators
- It has the objectives of championing youth-based agendas and climate change advocacy.
In a statement released by her, she clarifies that:
The Office of the First Daughter is a private entity. It is neither a constitutional office nor is it being funded by Kenyan taxpayers. The office runs to purely facilitate the activities of and any programs by Ms. Charlene Ruto.
Ms. Charlene Ruto, 2022 [Vanguard]
Charlene has her first degree in communication in 2015. She is a director at the family-owned Weston Hotel, Nairobi, using a self-proclaimed “voice for the youth.”‘
Towards the end of last year, we met the team from @BeGirlOrg who create sustainable hygiene products like reusable pads, period panties & menstrual cups. Their commitment to enhancing & improving period care is being embraced globally. Would you use a menstrual cup? #periodcare pic.twitter.com/FhUm4bttPu
— Charlene Ruto (@charlruto) February 6, 2023
However, Kenya’s President Ruto stated that such an office doesn’t exist and that Kenyan law doesn’t stipulate the existence of such an office.
