Rachel Ruto
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|---|---|
Rachel Ruto in 2022
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| First Lady of Kenya | |
| Assumed role 13 September 2022 | |
| President | William Ruto |
| Preceded by | Margaret Kenyatta |
| Second LadyofKenya | |
| In role 9 April 2013 – 13 September 2022 | |
| President | Uhuru Kenyatta |
| Preceded by | Pauline Musyoka |
| Succeeded by | Dorcas Gachagua |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Rachel Chebet (1969-11-20) 20 November 1969 (age 54) Likuyani, Kakamega, Kenya |
| Political party | UDA |
| Spouse |
(m. 1991) |
| Children | 6, including Charlene Ruto |
| Alma mater |
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| Occupation | Educator |
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Rachel Chebet Ruto (born 20 November 1969) is a Kenyan educator currently serving as the First Lady of Kenya. She is the wife of William Ruto, the fifth and current President of Kenya.
Rachel Chebet was born in Likuyani, Kakamega County, Western Region on 20 November 1968.[1]
She went to Likuyani Primary School, Kakamega County. She then proceeded to Butere Girls High School[2] for her O and A levels. She passed her advanced level education and subsequently was called to join the Kenyatta University where she pursued a Bachelor of Education (Arts) degree. She went on to earn her Master of Arts[3] in 2011 at the Catholic University of Eastern Africa.
Although she studied Education, she did not get a chance to practice teaching for long. She voluntarily retired and ventured into entrepreneurship in the tour and travel business, taking people throughout the country to places like Maasai Mara and Mombasa, etc.
During her tenure as the Second Lady of Kenya, she became an advocate for women's rights and women's empowerment. Through the Joyful Women Organization, she spurred a table banking initiative throughout Kenya, and spread to the rest of Africa.[4]
On 17 January 2014, Rachel Ruto was awarded the International Honorary Fellowship Award On Women Empowerment at the Binary University in Malaysia.[5]
She has been championing for healthy living through physical exercise such as cycling and launched the Mama Cycling Initiative in September to promote the practice.[6]
In March 2023, she expressed opposition to same sex relationships, following a Kenyan Supreme Court ruling allowing LGBTQ groups to organise.[7]
Rachel and William were married in 1991[8] at the AIC church. They met while they were in university at a Christian Union rally at the University of Nairobi. Rachel was studying educationatKenyatta University while her husband was taking botany and zoology at the University of Nairobi. The couple has six children including Charlene. The couple adopted baby Nadia, who had been buried alive. They named the baby Cherono, after Ruto's mother.[9]
