MPs Criticize Charlene Ruto Shoe Donation Initiative, Questioning Funds and Quality

President William Ruto’s daughter Charlene Ruto has found herself embroiled in a political dispute with lawmakers from Kitui County following her two-day charitable visit to the region.

The controversy arose when two legislators aligned with the ruling Kenya Kwanza Alliance, Rachael Nyamai (Kitui South) and Nimrod Mbai (Kitui East), publicly criticized Ms Ruto’s philanthropic endeavours. During her visit, Ms Ruto, accompanied by Zero Bare Foot Campaign CEO Victor Kiprono and other officials, distributed over 1,000 pairs of shoes to various primary schools in Kitui South Constituency. However, ,area MP Dr Nyamai claimed that she had been excluded from the event and raised questions about the source of the funds used to purchase the shoes, suggesting that her constituency office lacked the resources to undertake such an initiative.

Peninah Malonza, the Cabinet Secretary for East Africa Community who hosted the event, clarified that her office had sent letters to all elected leaders, including county assembly members, inviting them to attend. Despite this, Dr. Nyamai persisted in voicing her concerns about the event’s organization. Mbai was forthright in his criticism of Ms Ruto and the Zero Bare Foot Campaign, describing the shoes as oversized and of subpar quality. He affirmed that the people of Kitui have not benefited from President Ruto’s government over the past two years. He further dismissed the initiative as a “funny programme” that prioritized distributing ill-fitting plastic shoes in primary schools rather than addressing the genuine needs of the residents.

In response to the accusations made by the two MPs, Ms Ruto convened a press conference at Kyoani Primary School in Ikutha. The President’s daughter, visibly agitated, defended the initiative, emphasizing that it was unacceptable for young children to walk to school without shoes. She disclosed being touched by the pupils’ confessions that the donated shoes were the first pair they had ever owned. Ms Ruto firmly supported this cause, believing that youngsters from underprivileged homes deserved aid and motivation. As their benefactor, she strongly felt that these children should be empowered and given the chance to thrive.

Ms. Ruto stressed that anyone can contribute a pair of shoes and there is no need to wait for others to take action. Having already distributed 1,000 shoes in two days, she now pledges to provide a tree seedling for each pair donated, in line with her father’s initiative to plant 15 billion trees. Mr. Kiprono affirms that the shoes are comfortable and made of leather, contradicting the earlier claims that they were made of plastic. The controversy has been linked to local political dynamics with Mr Mbai concerned that Ms Malonza’s support for another candidate could jeopardize his chances in the UDA elections. These political differences have reportedly led to the postponement of President Ruto’s scheduled visit to the region on multiple occasions.