First Lady Rachel Ruto has described Kenya as a prayerful and vibrant country that is prospering both economically and spiritually, a situation she attributed to placing God at the centre of everything.
Rachel revealed that keshas are held at State House every Friday to pray for the country, its leaders and the world. She added that prayers are also conducted in government and private offices, in parks and in several other places.
In an interview with a White House correspondent for CBN News, Rachel said that William Ruto became President in 2022 at a time when the country was experiencing a severe drought.
“Our President called for a solemn assembly. We gathered in one of the largest stadiums in Kenya on February 14, 2023. The church attended, bishops, fathers of the nation and intercessors came, government officials were present, and the President led the nation in a solemn assembly,” Rachel told CBN News.
She added: “We prayed to God and repented in accordance with Chronicles 7:14. We asked God to forgive our sins as a nation. We asked God to give us rain and food because, in Kenya, we depend on rain-fed agriculture; when it does not rain, it becomes a major challenge for the country. That was on February 14, 2023… Exactly one month later, the rain started pouring. I can tell you it has not stopped.”
Rachel continued: “It is still raining, and now we are food secure. We usually experience short dry spells here and there, but the government is doing everything possible to construct dams and similar infrastructure so that we can store water when we receive heavy rains. That is Kenya for you—a country whose leadership loves God.”
Rachel gave the interview in the United States, where she joined fellow First spouses at the ‘Fostering the Future Together’ initiative convened at the White House by First Lady Melania Trump.
The summit focused on how technology, particularly artificial intelligence, is reshaping education and the future of work, and on ensuring that every child has fair and safe access to these opportunities.
Her remarks come against the backdrop of the country emerging from a severe drought, with several counties placed on emergency alert over acute shortages of food, water and pasture.
This was immediately followed by the loss of lives and property due to floods that have affected several parts of the country.
“We have prayers in government offices, in private offices—we have prayers everywhere. Sometimes you walk through parks and see groups gathered simply to pray. People hold overnight prayers; even at State House, we have overnight prayers every Friday. We call them keshas. So prayer is everywhere in our nation. We do not say this to boast, but to affirm that it is in humility that the Lord lifts you up,” Rachel said.
Mama Doing Good
She also spoke about how her Mama Doing Good initiative is empowering Kenyans and how it began.
According to her, the initiative’s origins date back to 1997, when Ruto was vying for a parliamentary seat for the first time and she joined him on the campaign trail.
During the campaign, she said she met many young people and women, and was struck by the attitude of a woman who had no shoes but remained cheerful.
She said it dawned on her that if the woman had attended such an event without shoes, then the situation of her children must have been even more difficult. The First Lady said she made a vow that if her husband was elected MP, she would return to empower the voters economically so that every woman could afford shoes and care for her children.
After his election, she developed ways of working with women, leading to the birth of the table banking concept.
Rachel told CBN News that she brought together about 60 women in the constituency and started an organisation known as Joyful Women. Today, she works with women and children, empowering them while addressing issues of protection, participation and provision for Kenya’s children.
Reflecting on her upbringing in rural Kenya, Rachel said she never imagined she would one day become First Lady, but noted that she had always been determined and resilient.
A trained teacher, she said she had always wanted to make a difference, particularly in her community, having witnessed widespread poverty while growing up.
“First of all, I knew that education is the great equaliser. I knew that if I performed well academically and pursued my education through secondary school and university or college, I would have greater opportunities,” she said.
Rachel also explained how the ‘Mama Cycling’ concept emerged, noting that it began during the Covid-19 period when many people were at home.
She said communities were brought together to start a cycling programme aimed at improving the health of women and the wider community.
She added that in rural Kenya, a bicycle holds economic value, as it is used not only for transport but also to carry goods from farms to markets.
She said partnerships with corporations and companies have enabled the distribution of bicycles to women and families, which are also used to take children to school.
“Even when these bicycles are used to transport goods to the market for economic purposes, we have seen them also serve as a means of taking children to school, especially in rural areas where schools are far apart,” she said.
“These bicycles help children get to school, and in the process, their health improves. There is something about cycling—when you ride, your adrenaline rises, your heart rate increases, and that contributes to good health,” she explained.
In addition to encouraging Kenyans to take up cycling, she said efforts have been made to urge the government to establish cycling lanes to ensure the safety of riders on the roads.
“That is what counties have been doing, and the government is also taking steps in that direction,” she added.
