President William Ruto shakes hands with his daughter Charlene as his fiancée and first lady Rachel look on/SCREENGRABPresident William Ruto has thanked guests who attended the traditional Koito engagement ceremony of his daughter Charlene Ruto, saying their presence had added significance to the family occasion.
Speaking during the ceremony at his Intonna Heritage Farm in Kilgoris, Narok County, Ruto welcomed guests who had responded to the family’s invitation to join them in celebrating Charlene’s milestone.
Ruto specifically acknowledged the presence of relatives from Mwanza, Tanzania, who had travelled to Kenya for the ceremony, describing their participation as an important part of the occasion.
“Leo tuko hapa na tumewaita tuwe pamoja na sisi kwa hii sherehe ya Charlene wakati ndugu zetu kutoka Mwanza wamekuja,” Ruto said.
The President then expressed his appreciation to all the guests for accepting the family’s invitation and making time to attend the event.
“Na kwa wageni wote ambao tumewaalika tunasema asanteni sana kwa kuitikia mwito wetu,” he said.
The ceremony brought together members of the two families as Charlene formally entered an important stage in her relationship with Tanzanian technology entrepreneur Isaya Yunge.
Koito is a traditional Kalenjin engagement ceremony that brings together the families of a prospective bride and groom.
It provides an opportunity for relatives and elders to formally recognise the relationship and begin or conclude discussions around marriage arrangements and bridewealth.
Traditionally, it is an occasion when the groom’s parents and relatives visit the bride’s family for negotiations on bridewealth, while the two families formally establish a relationship.
The ceremony is also an important cultural occasion, often characterised by traditional attire, food, music, dancing and the participation of elders.
For the Ruto family, the event provided an opportunity to celebrate Charlene while bringing together relatives and friends from Kenya and Tanzania.
The presence of Yunge’s family from Mwanza also underlined the cross-border nature of the union, with the ceremony serving as a meeting point between the two families and their respective cultures.
Charlene, the President’s daughter, has been involved in youth empowerment and social initiatives, while Yunge is an entrepreneur whose work centres on technology and digital innovation.
The gathering also offered a public glimpse into the role of traditional ceremonies in bringing families together and preserving cultural practices even as modern relationships increasingly cross national and cultural boundaries.
