KILGORIS, KENYA — President William Ruto has praised his Tanzanian son-in-law Isaya for his determination in pursuing his daughter Charlene despite the formidable challenges that come with courting a member of Kenya’s First Family, describing the young man as someone who overcame the obstacles surrounding the President’s family to win her hand in marriage.
Speaking during a colourful family celebration in Kilgoris, President Ruto said Isaya’s journey to marrying Charlene demonstrated determination and commitment, particularly given the security arrangements and heightened scrutiny that surround the family of a sitting President.
The President said he was proud of Charlene and pleased that she had found a man he could welcome into the Ruto family.
Addressing Isaya directly, Ruto declared that he was no longer simply a Tanzanian visitor but a son of the family.
“You will be a son in this family, and your family will be our family,” the President said.
Ruto said the occasion was one of the most significant moments for a parent because it represented another major milestone in a child’s life.
He recalled the pride he and First Lady Rachel Ruto had experienced watching Charlene grow through her education and other stages of her life, saying they were equally proud to see her begin a new chapter with Isaya.
The President urged Isaya to love and take good care of Charlene, while calling on the couple to build their marriage on faithfulness, mutual respect and love.
“We are giving you gold”
ODM Party Leader Dr. Oburu Odinga delivered a memorable message to the Tanzanian family, describing Charlene as one of Kenya’s most precious gifts.
“We are giving you not diamond. We are giving you gold. We are giving you our best,” Dr. Oburu said.
The remark captured the affection with which Charlene was being handed over to her new family and drew attention to the significance attached to the union by both sides.
Dr. Oburu congratulated Charlene and Isaya and reminded Isaya, with characteristic humour, that he had married into Kenya’s centre of power.
But the ODM leader’s remarks went beyond the politics and symbolism of marrying into the First Family.
He used the occasion to make a broader argument about the historical relationship between Kenya and Tanzania and the wider East African region.
Oburu: Colonial borders divided one people
Dr. Oburu argued that the borders separating Kenya, Tanzania and other East African countries were largely products of colonial history and divided communities that had traditionally shared a common social and cultural space.
He pointed to communities such as the Luo, Maasai and Kuria, whose families and cultural connections extend across the Kenya-Tanzania border.
He said the colonial drawing of national boundaries had effectively divided people who historically interacted as one community.
The implication, he suggested, is that the marriage between Charlene and Isaya is a reminder that family and cultural ties have often proved stronger than the political borders inherited from colonial rule.
The occasion therefore provided an opportunity to reflect on an East Africa in which communities continue to cross national boundaries through marriage, trade, culture and family relationships.
Dr. Oburu said such relationships should be celebrated as part of the broader project of East African integration.
His remarks resonated with the wider message of the ceremony: that Kenya and Tanzania are neighbouring states but are also bound by deep people-to-people relationships that predate the modern nation-state.
Ruto: “We are one people as East Africans”
President Ruto similarly placed the marriage within the broader context of regional unity.
He observed that communities such as the Maasai, Kuria and Luo are found on both sides of the Kenya-Tanzania border and have maintained cultural and familial relationships for generations.
He argued that the more East Africans interact and build relationships across borders, the stronger the region becomes.
The President said Kenya’s future was inseparable from the future of Tanzania and the wider East African Community, and urged the young couple to contribute to that spirit of unity.
“We need love”
Ruto told Isaya that the most important thing the Kenyan family expected from him was love.
He said Charlene was being handed over as one of the family’s most precious members and urged Isaya and his family to take care of her.
The President also expressed confidence that the union would produce a strong family and contribute to the future of the region.
President Ruto’s warning to parents: Don’t surrender children to social media
The President used the occasion to address parents across the country, urging them to take greater responsibility for raising and guiding their children.
He warned against allowing social media and peer groups to become substitutes for parental guidance.
“We must not surrender our children to Facebook and TikTok,” Ruto said.
He urged parents to spend time with their children, talk to them and guide them through life’s challenges.
Schools, churches and government, he said, all have important roles to play, but none can replace the responsibility of parents.
“Government can do so much, but it will not replace your responsibility as a parent,” he said.
He also encouraged young people to embrace marriage and family, telling unmarried youth that while being single is good, marriage is better and having children is best.
Tanzania welcomes Charlene
Members of Isaya’s family travelled from Tanzania to attend the celebration and expressed gratitude to the Ruto family for welcoming them.
The Tanzanian delegation said Charlene would be warmly received in Tanzania and promised that the Kenyan family would receive a similar welcome when they visit.
One Tanzanian speaker described the delegation’s presence as a “seal of approval” for the marriage.
The delegation also emphasised the strong historical relationship between the two countries and expressed optimism that the union would deepen family and people-to-people ties.
Ida Odinga attends with Raila Junior and Winnie
The high-profile gathering was attended by Dr. Ida Odinga, Kenya’s Ambassador to UNEP and widow of former Prime Minister Raila Odinga.
Dr. Ida attended alongside her children, Raila Odinga Junior and Winnie Odinga.
Her presence, alongside President Ruto, Dr. Oburu Odinga and other senior political figures, gave the occasion a broad national character.
Kindiki, Mudavadi, Wetangula and senior leaders attend
Among the other distinguished guests were Deputy President Kithure Kindiki, Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi, National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetangula, the Speaker of the Senate, Cabinet Secretaries, Members of Parliament, governors, diplomats and senior government officials.
Religious leaders, community leaders and representatives of national and international organisations also attended.
The gathering brought together leaders from different political, diplomatic, religious and civil society backgrounds around a common celebration of family and East African friendship.
Global Peace Foundation represented
Among the representatives of international and civil society organisations was Daniel Juma Omondi, Africa Regional Representative of the Global Peace Foundation.
His presence added to the strong representation of peacebuilding, civic and international organisations at the ceremony, whose speeches repeatedly emphasised peace, family values, unity and stronger relations among East African peoples.
Charlene thanks the Tanzanian family
Charlene thanked guests for travelling to Kilgoris to celebrate with her and Isaya, with special appreciation for relatives who had travelled from Tanzania.
She expressed gratitude for their support, prayers and goodwill and presented appreciation gifts to guests on behalf of her family.
The ceremony also included gifts for grandparents, uncles, aunties, siblings, religious leaders and other members of the extended family.
A family union with a regional message
The Kilgoris celebration was ultimately about more than the marriage of two young people.
It brought together two families whose roots extend across a region where national borders have never completely erased cultural and familial connections.
President Ruto’s praise for Isaya’s determination, Dr. Oburu’s reminder that colonial borders divided communities that had historically lived as one, and the presence of senior leaders from Kenya and Tanzania all gave the occasion a broader regional significance.
For Charlene and Isaya, it marked the beginning of a new family.
For Kenya and Tanzania, it offered a reminder of the ties that bind their peoples together.
And for East Africa, it provided a vivid illustration of the idea that the region’s people can build bridges across borders through family, friendship and shared identity.
The message from Kilgoris was therefore both personal and political: love may bring two people together, but family can bring nations closer.
