President William Ruto’s daughter, Charlene Ruto, on Thursday engaged in a high-profile meeting with Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni and First Lady Janet Museveni in Kampala, describing the visit as both “cheerful and robust.”
In a statement shared on her social media, Charlene Ruto said she was honoured to learn from her Ugandan grandparents’ “wisdom and experience over the years” while also presenting her work on youth-focused initiatives in Kenya.
She indicated that her programme, which targets empowerment and development opportunities for young people, will soon be expanded to other African countries.
“Had a cheerful and robust engagement with my Ugandan grandparents, H.E. President Yoweri Museveni and H.E. First Lady Janet Museveni, in Kampala today,” she wrote. “It was an honour to sit at their feet and learn from their wisdom and experience over the years as I also shared my work on the young people of Kenya, an initiative I will be spreading to other African nations in the near future.”
President Museveni also took to social media to share details of the meeting, expressing his support for initiatives that promote youth engagement and regional development.
He emphasized the importance of value addition and job creation as a cornerstone for retaining wealth within the continent.
“Maama Janet and I welcomed our Muzzukulu, Charlene Ruto and her team. We discussed areas of cooperation and shared interest. I am pleased that she is investing on the continent,” Museveni said.
“Africa must continue to focus on value addition in order to create jobs and retain wealth within our region. We also explored ways of strengthening regional collaboration to create more opportunities for our young people.”
The discussions, according to both parties, centred on fostering stronger ties between Kenya and Uganda through initiatives that leverage youth potential and promote entrepreneurship.
The engagement is also seen as part of a broader effort to encourage intergenerational mentorship and knowledge sharing, particularly in governance and social development.
Charlene Ruto’s visit underscores a growing trend among young African leaders and influencers seeking to build regional networks that can accelerate socio-economic development.
Her initiatives are expected to complement government efforts in Kenya while expanding opportunities for cross-border collaboration and investment across East Africa.
The meeting drew attention on social media, highlighting the increasing role of young leaders in shaping Africa’s future and bridging policy and grassroots development efforts between nations.