Charlene Ruto (born 11 January 1993) is the daughter of the 5th president of the Republic of Kenya,

William Ruto William Kipchirchir Samoei Arap Ruto (born 21 January 1967) is a Kenyan politician who is the fifth and current president of Kenya since 13 September 2022. Prior to becoming president, he served as the first elected Deputy President of Kenya, ...

. She is a political figure, public relations consultant, and philanthropist. Ruto has participated in national and international forums, often under her unofficial "Office of the First Daughter" role. In addition to her First Daughter role, Ruto has worked in media relations, Public relations, and philanthropy.

Education

Charlene Chelagat Ruto is the third-born daughter to Kenya's President

and First Lady Rachel Ruto. Charlene holds a bachelor's degree in Mass Communication from Daystar University, and a Master of Business Administration in Hospitality from Les Roches International School of Hotel Management in Crans-Montana, Switzerland. Between August 2012 to January 2013, she was a foreign exchange student at Northwestern College. Charlene is certified in Kenyan Sign Language and a member of the Deaf community.

Career

Since 2018, Charlene has worked as a Media Relations Officer at Mobile Decisioning Holding Limited and as the Director of Public Relations and Branding at Weston Hotel. Charlene campaigned for her father ahead of the

2022 Kenyan general election General elections were held in Kenya on Tuesday, 9 August 2022. Voters elected the President of Kenya, president, governors, Senate of Kenya, senators, members of the National Assembly (Kenya), National Assembly, and members of county assemblie ...

, and after his inauguration in September 2022, she has been actively attending national and global events. Charlene held 31 official meetings with government representatives and officials from different counties. However, she trended as individuals queried about the basis of her involvement in political matters. Charlene is the founding patron of the Smart Mechanized Agriculture and Climate Action for Humanity and Sustainability (SMACHs) Foundation.

Controversies

''Office of the First Daughter''

In 2022, Charlene had been conducting activities under the unofficial title "Office of the First Daughter", leading to public criticism and questions about the funding source. Despite comparisons to Ivanka Trump and a humorous nickname, "Quickmart Ivanka" or "low budget Ivanka", she continues her engagements. She clarified that her "office" is a private entity, not taxpayer-funded, focusing on youth and climate change advocacy. However, critics argue about the implications of her actions, given her father's anti-dynasty stance.

Selling 'smokies'

In 2022, Charlene stirred up social media when she shared that she used to sell 'smokies kachumbari', a popular snack, during her time at Daystar University. She stated that 'smokies' were a hot commodity back then, which motivated her to start the small business. Her revelation sparked a variety of responses from the online community, with some doubting the authenticity of her story as her father was the

Deputy President A vice president or vice-president, also director in British English, is an officer in government or business who is below the president (chief executive officer) in rank. It can also refer to executive vice presidents, signifying that the vi ...

then.

Youth unemployment remark

On 7 February 2024, Charlene faced social media backlash following her comments about Kenyan youth in a TV interview. She encouraged young people to be proactive, start income-generating projects, and participate in global discussions, especially on climate change. However, critics felt her remarks were insensitive and disconnected from the realities faced by Kenyan youth, arguing that her privileged background might have influenced her understanding.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ruto, Charlene Living people 1993 births Daystar University alumni People from Nairobi Children of presidents of Kenya