- He said it is in his place to use my presidential powers to promote children of other people for them to get the same opportunities as the ones he has.
- He castigated opposition leaders who use their leadership positions to appoint their relatives.
Image: PCS
President William Ruto has again come out to defend her daughter Charlene after an uproar on the office of the first daughter.
The President explained that Charlene first put the title on her Twitter page due to many fake accounts under her name.
While speaking to the founder of the Mo Ibrahim Foundation, Ruto said the office of the first daughter was just a Kenyan joke.
"Office of the first daughter is a Kenyan joke because my innocent daughter Charlene put it on her Twitter account and I asked her why she did that and she said there were many parody accounts under her name," Ruto said.
The President said no member of his family is participating in politics and will not use his office to promote his family.
"I do not believe that everything should rotate around the President even if that is William Ruto. Members of my family are not participating in any politics and I am not saying they should not," Ruto said.
He said it is in his place to use his presidential powers to promote the Kenyans' children for them to get the same opportunities as the ones he has.
He castigated opposition leaders who use their leadership positions to appoint their relatives.
"I have a very big argument with some of my competitors who use the office they get whenever there is a nomination they pick their daughters and cousins," Ruto added.
"I don't think that is the best way to use an opportunity, if you get an opportunity reach out to somebody else to give them a lift so that they too can become something, it shouldn't be just your family."
The President has on several occasions dismissed the speculations, saying his daughter was just being herself while running her affairs.
Charlene caused an online uproar in December, last year, after saying she was running a fully staffed Office of the First Daughter.
In an undated video clip, Charlene is heard referring to her office as the Office of the First Daughter while introducing members of her team at a function.
"And this is Jermain Momanyi, he is the head of Trade and Investment at the Office of the First Daughter," Charlene said to which the crowd responded with cheers and giggles.
This followed her series of political engagements including visits to county assemblies, meetings with governors and an unofficial state visit to Morocco.
People questioned in what capacity Charlene was engaging in political affairs.