By Matthew Ma
The latest criticism comes from a renowned blogger Pauline Njoroge on her Facebook page, who locked horns with Charlene by questioning whose office should be called the office of the first daughter between Charlene and June Ruto. She argued that June Ruto is the firstborn daughter of President William Ruto. So how does Charlene claim her office is that of the first daughter? How will the office of June be referred to since she is the firstborn daughter of the president?
“Nigerians do not want an office of the first daughter, first son, last-born, or side chick. It is not everything we see overseas that is good for Nigeria. Some (if not most) of them are not designed for us. Before we add any office to the country, we should evaluate to see if such an office suits us. Hence, my position on the Office of the First Daughter is if these women desire power that much, they should wear the garb of politicians and stand for elections instead of this unconstitutionality we are witnessing.”
Who says women are not powerful? Women are not only powerful; they indirectly or directly determine the affairs of a nation. Some of the most crucial decisions in history have either been influenced or made by women. Women exercise a lot of power and influence not just in the kitchen or home but in a man’s heart. Nothing inspires a man’s decision as much as the voice of his wife or concubine, as the case may be. There are several examples of powerful women in history whose actions inspired or motivated their men. Examples of such women include Isabella I of Castile, Eleanor of Aquitaine, Nefertiti Queen of Egypt, Cleopatra, and many others. Even in the Jewish culture, we find stories in the Bible of women who showed extraordinary leadership and courage. For example, Deborah, with no aristocratic ancestry, was a powerful woman in Scripture elevated to high political power by the common consent of her peers. She displayed her leadership skills as a counselor discussing and suggesting solutions to people with problems near her home. Deborah reigned when the civil court system was inept, the military was too weak to defend national borders, the priesthood of what had been a theocracy was powerless and ineffective, and life was no longer possible. At the same time, she became a judge to deliver her people from war. When King Jabin was harassing the Israelites, Deborah summoned Barak from the tribe of Naphtali on the northern border. She ordered him to recruit an army of ten thousand men from his tribe and the neighboring tribe of Zebulun. Barak hesitated, insisting that Deborah accompany him for the task. Later, Deborah joined the recruits and also advised them on tactics.
To modern feminist leaders, Jezebel is one of the most intriguing women in the Scriptures, a bloody yet strong-willed, politically clever, and courageous woman. A Phoenician princess who worships Baal, the pagan god of fertility, Jezebel marries King Ahab of the northern kingdom of Israel. She persuades him to tolerate her alien faith, then becomes entwined in the vicious religious conflict that ends in her death. After her marriage to King Ahab, Jezebel emerges as the power behind the throne. Their combination represents a political alliance that benefits both countries. It is also an opportunity for Jezebel to foster the spread of her Baal religion with its many gods, ritual sex, and temple prostitutes. She hates the monotheistic Hebrew religion, and when she became queen, the Israelites began worshiping alien idols. Influenced by his malicious wife, King Ahab protects and encourages pagan rituals, prompting Yahweh to inflict a three-year drought in a land where people reject him. Seizing the initiative, Jezebel imported 450 priests of Baal from her native Phoenicia and murdered many priests of Yahweh. But the drama switches to the royal palace, where Jezebel’s husband covets a vineyard owned by Naboth that he wants for a garden. Naboth’s refusal to sell his family inheritance sends Ahab into depression. Jezebel asserts her dominance: Now is the time to show yourself king over Israel, she says scornfully. I will get the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite for you. How she succeeds reinforces the eternal image of Jezebel as a scheming, murderous woman. Forging the king’s signature, she sends letters to townspeople falsely accusing Naboth of blasphemy. Once face-to-face with Naboth, Jezebel urges the crowd to take him out and stone him to death. Naboth dies, and his property reverts to the royal family. Martha appears three times in the Bible as one of the most powerful testimonies in Scripture when Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead. It is in this story that Martha shows the unshakeable strength of her faith. A friend of Jesus, she lived in Bethany with her brother Lazarus and sister Mary. In John 11, Lazarus falls seriously ill, and despite sending a message to Jesus asking for help, Lazarus passes away before Jesus arrives. However, Martha’s absolute faith in Jesus shines through when she runs to meet him. Lord, Martha said to Jesus if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But I know that even now, God will give you whatever you ask. Jesus performed a miracle and brought Lazarus back to life, fully healed. How amazing is it to witness that strength of faith, to be so convinced of God’s provision and power no matter what happens in the natural?
In Kenya lives another young lady called Charlene Ruto. In December 2022, Kenyans took to social media to express their disbelief over the apparent existence of an office of the first daughter, linked to President William Ruto’s second-born daughter. In a video circulating online, Charlene Ruto spoke to an audience at a summit in Tanzania, where she introduced her team from Kenya, including her adviser and another head of trade and investments at the office of the first daughter. Upon hearing the statement, members of the audience who innocently thought Charlene was joking appeared to respond loudly with applause, while some laughed. Following widespread criticism, Charlene Ruto granted an interview to an online media where she tried to clear the air. Charlene also revealed to be working on her Foundation, whose main objective is to amplify the voice of the youth. According to her, many Kenyans wondered why she was going around counties. But what is it exactly? She affirms she is not asking anyone to give her a position anywhere. Also, she does not need any title to do what she is doing. She decided to establish her initiative to help the community, Kenyans, and be a voice for our youth. She believes there is a difference between leadership and politics. You can lead without a title in politics. That is why she took that path, she added. Charlene also dismissed claims that she was using public funds to move around the country, saying she has her funding. According to her, the Charlene Ruto Foundation has many donors and sponsors who have come on board. Some are individuals who have come to her. She maintained that many business people have also come to her to support her NGO. She denies using any government resources to do her job. She has also revealed that she will launch the Charlene Ruto Foundation in early 2023. Currently, she said, she is establishing the functional structure of the Foundation. She claimed she has also released an official statement on the matter, saying that the Office of the First Daughter is a private entity and not run using the taxpayers’ money. It is neither a constitutional office nor funded by Kenyan taxpayers. The office runs to facilitate the activities of any programs initiated by her. The Office of the First Daughter has acted in good faith to ensure that the Kenyan Youth have a voice and get access to opportunities to enable sustainable livelihoods.
Africans likewise took to social media to express their disbelief and disapproval over the apparent existence of an office of the first daughter. On Twitter, they backlashed Charlene for laying claim to such an office. The latest criticism comes from a renowned blogger Pauline Njoroge on her Facebook page, who locked horns with Charlene by questioning whose office should be called the office of the first daughter between Charlene and June Ruto. She argued that June Ruto is the firstborn daughter of President William Ruto. So how does Charlene claim her office is that of the first daughter? How will the office of June be referred to since she is the firstborn daughter of the president? But reacting to the claim, Kenyan President William Ruto denied the existence of the Office of the First Daughter, a title under which his daughter Charlene has held several high-profile events and meetings. President Ruto told journalists in the State House in Nairobi to leave his daughter Charlene alone. According to him, Charlene is just a kid. Hence, children will always be children. He refuted that there is no such office as the office of the first daughter and that Charlene is only the daughter of William Ruto, even though, there are times when she does not know the boundary between the president and the father. But critics have argued that if we do not kill the ideology fast, it would be a matter of time before children of presidents across the continent will begin to adopt the term – which they say is unconstitutional and can be an avenue of corruption and embezzlement. Those who frowned against the announcement of Charlene Ruto, the second daughter of President William Ruto of Kenya, said that Africans in the continent and the diaspora must stand up against the move. They claim that the continent is already suffering from what some have classified as the unconstitutional office of the first lady, which invokes powers on the president’s wife not recognized by law.
Rev. Ma, S.J, is a Jesuit Catholic priest and PhD candidate in public and social policy at St. Louis University in the state of Missouri, USA
