Charlene Ruto, daughter of President William Ruto, has become the center of a political dispute with MPs in Kitui County following her recent two-day visit to the region.
Two MPs from the ruling Kenya Kwanza Alliance, Rachael Nyamai (Kitui South) and Nimrod Mbai (Kitui East), have publicly criticized Charlene Ruto’s charity work. During her visit to Kitui South Constituency on Sunday, hosted by East Africa Community Cabinet Secretary Peninah Malonza, Charlene distributed over 1,000 pairs of shoes to various primary schools. She was accompanied by Zero Barefoot Campaign CEO Victor Kiprono and other officials from the organization.
At Itumba Primary School in Mutha Ward, Dr. Nyamai expressed feelings of being sidelined, suggesting a deliberate attempt by event organizers to exclude her. Ms. Malonza responded, stating that her office had sent letters to all elected leaders, including members of the county assembly. Dr. Nyamai, a member of the Jubilee Party which cooperates with President Ruto’s United Democratic Alliance (UDA), also questioned the funding source for the shoes, noting that her constituency office lacked the resources for such initiatives.
Mr. Mbai was more direct in his criticism, describing the shoes as oversized and of poor quality. He claimed that, during President Ruto’s administration, Kitui residents had not benefited from the government. Mr. Mbai, who is eyeing the Kitui County chairmanship in the upcoming UDA grassroots elections, argued that shoes were not a priority for the residents. He dismissed the distribution program as laughable, alleging that the plastic shoes did not fit the children and had to be returned to Nairobi.
In response to the accusations, Charlene Ruto held a press conference at Kyoani Primary School in Ikutha. Appearing agitated, she stated that it was unacceptable for children to walk to school without shoes. She shared that many pupils had never owned a pair of shoes before her team’s donation. Ms. Ruto explained that she gladly accepted the patron role for Zero Barefoot Campaign because she believed in supporting and encouraging children from needy families.
Ms. Ruto emphasized that anyone could donate shoes and urged Kenyans to take initiative, highlighting that some parents struggle to pay school fees. She also noted that for every pair of shoes donated, she would also donate a tree seedling, aligning with her father’s campaign to plant 15 billion trees. Victor Kiprono defended the quality of the shoes, stating they were made of leather, not plastic as alleged by Mr. Mbai. CS Malonza dismissed Dr. Nyamai’s complaint about not being invited as a trivial issue.
The political tension between Mr. Mbai and Ms. Malonza, who is rumored to support a different candidate in the UDA elections, has reportedly led to the postponement of President Ruto’s tour of the region on multiple occasions.
