NAIROBI, Kenya- President William Ruto and First Lady Rachel Ruto hosted a high-profile gathering at Intonna Heritage Farm in Kilgoris, Narok County, as their daughter Charlene Ruto marked a major traditional marriage milestone with her Koito ak Chaik ceremony.
The event brought together senior government officials, lawmakers, family members and other prominent guests for the traditional engagement and farewell ceremony.
The ceremony, known as Koito, brought together members of the Ruto family, relatives and invited guests for a traditional celebration marked by music, dancing and cultural attire.
The ceremony attracted several prominent political figures and other public personalities, with photographs from the event showing guests dressed in traditional and formal attire.
The event also featured performances of traditional songs and dances as guests celebrated the union of the two families.
The Koito ceremony marks a significant step towards Charlene and Yunge’s marriage and was held as a private family occasion, although the presence of senior political figures drew considerable public attention.
Charlene, who is the President’s daughter, has maintained a public profile through her involvement in youth and environmental initiatives.
The Kilgoris ceremony comes as the Ruto family publicly marks Charlene’s transition into a new stage of her personal life.
Charlene is set to officially get married to Isaya Yunge, a Tanzanian technology entrepreneur and social-impact innovator, from Mwanza after the traditional engagement.
His early life was marked by hardship after his parents divorced, and he spent part of his childhood moving between foster homes and living on the streets.
As a teenager, Yunge became involved in supporting street children.
At 16, he helped establish a radio programme through Radio Free Africa that gave street children a platform to share their experiences.
His work attracted the attention of UNICEF, leading to his selection as a UNICEF African Youth Ambassador. He subsequently participated in the 2007 G8 youth summit in Germany.
While at university, Yunge began sharing information about scholarships and international educational opportunities with other students.
This experience inspired him to create SomaApp, a platform designed to help African students find scholarship and educational opportunities.
His work in technology and social impact earned him international recognition.
In 2018, he received the Queen’s Young Leaders Award and was recognised by Forbes Africa among its young African entrepreneurs.
He has also developed technology ventures including GOODSAM Technologies and Smart Kaya, focusing on technology solutions for African communities.
