MAUREEN WARUINGE ENTERTAINMENT JOURNALIST

12 September 2022

• Rachel Ruto is the First lady to Kenya's fifth President William Ruto.

• As the office holder, Rachel Ruto has certain roles.

The wife of the sitting President is known as the First lady. Her role in State House is mostly social.

President elect William Ruto takes office Tuesday September 13th in a ceremony to be held at Kasarani Stadium.

His wife Rachel will be by his side, as well as the first children. Rachel Ruto will thus be Kenya's fifth First lady.

Ngina Kenyatta was Kenya's First lady and from 12 December 1964 to 2 August 1978. The second First lady was Lena Moi from 22 August 1978 to 30 December 2002.

The third First lady was Lucy Kibaki from 30 December 200 to 9 April 2013. The fourth First lady was Margaret Kenyatta from 9 April 2013 to September 12.

Below are a few things to know about her role.

The Office of the First Lady plays a supportive role to the Presidency, and promotes national goals and values.

There is an official website for her team to update Kenyans about her activities.

You can also interact with her on her social media platforms.

A key focus of the Office is to ensure efficient and effective delivery of the First Lady's projects.

Rachel's pet project is empowering poor women through business training and organising them into Saccos to deepen financial inclusion.

The holder of the office has an official salary. She is paid by the taxpayer in excess of half a million shillings per month.

Treasury allocates the budget to her office with salaries for the aides, travel and entertainment taking the bulk of the budget.

The current holder Margaret Kenyatta back in July had said that her role would not end after her husband Uhuru hands over the reigns of power.

Mrs. Kenyatta told an audience that she will continue engaging in charity work through her Beyond Zero initiative beyond her term in office as the First Lady of the Republic of Kenya.

She said this during a ceremony held to mark 10 years of Beyond Zero initiative and the recent establishment of the Margaret Kenyatta Institute for Gender and Social Development on July 2022.

President Uhuru Kenyatta was on Friday September 9 bade farewell by the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) in an elaborate military ceremony held at Ulinzi Sports Complex at Lang'ata Barracks in Nairobi City County.