I sold smokies while at the university - Charlene Ruto

"I was encouraged to take up the small business."

In Summary
  • The video has received mixed reactions among Kenyans including those who she was addressing.
  • A section of the audience is heard in the video dismissing her claims saying "hiyo ni uongo, aaai mtoto wa deputy president? Hapo umetubeba ujinga"
Charlene Ruto
Charlene Ruto
Image: FILE

An undated video of President William Ruto's daughter Charlene Ruto claiming she sold 'smokies' while at the university to sustain herself has emerged.

Charlene graduated with a Bachelor's degree in Communication from Daystar University in 2015.

  At the time, Ruto was serving as Deputy President of Kenya in their first term with President Uhuru Kenyatta.

She said the smokies were the only thing that were selling at the time. 

"I was in Daystar University, and smokie kachumbari was the only thing that was selling, I was encouraged to take up the small business," she said. 

The video has received mixed reactions among Kenyans including those who she was addressing.

A section of the audience is heard in the video dismissing her claims saying "hiyo ni uongo, aaai mtoto wa deputy president? Hapo umetubeba ujinga".


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Loosely translates to: "that is a lie, a child of a deputy president? you have lied to us".

After her father officially took power, Charlene cuts an image of an influential personality.

On November 27, Kenyans on Twitter raised concerns as to why she has been visiting different county assemblies, having meetings with governors and running different initiatives at the same time.

Netizens have since compared her to former US President Donald Trump's daughter Ivanka Trump. 

When her father was elected into office, Ivanka accompanied him as an unofficial adviser. 

Trump later appointed Ivanka to an official government role.

On November 10, Charlene, through her official Twitter account said she had met Morocco's youth minister, Mohammed Mehdi, for a "conversation and exchange of ideas that will go a long way in shaping youth development projects for both nations".

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Charlene has also had a plenary session with Bomet county MCAs. 

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