A Queen’s Award winner, Forbes Africa 30 Under 30 honoree, and founder of a scholarship platform connecting 7,000 Africans to opportunities abroad — meet the man set to marry Kenya’s First Daughter.
Kenya’s First Daughter Charlene Ruto is set to begin a new chapter, and the man she has chosen is turning heads for all the right reasons. Isaiah Yunke, a Tanzanian entrepreneur and social impact leader, will today take part in the traditional Koito engagement ceremony at Intonna Farm in Kilgoris, Narok County, in what promises to be one of the most talked-about events of the year.
Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan is among the dignitaries expected to grace the occasion, adding a regional dimension to what is already a high-profile family event.
Built From the Ground Up
Isaiah Yunke is, by any measure, a self-made success story. He is the founder of SomaApp, a platform that has connected more than 7,000 Africans to scholarships abroad, making higher education a realistic prospect for young people who might otherwise never have had the opportunity.
The platform is not just a product but a movement — one built on the belief that access to education should not be determined by geography or economic circumstance. For thousands of young Africans who have secured places at universities around the world through SomaApp, it has already changed the trajectory of their lives.
A Record of Recognition
The accolades tell a story of consistent, early achievement. In 2018, Yunke received the Queen’s Young Leaders Award from Queen Elizabeth II herself, a distinction given to young people from across the Commonwealth whose work has made a measurable difference in their communities.
The following year, 2019, brought a double honour. He was named an Ashoka Fellow — one of the world’s most respected recognitions for social entrepreneurs — and appeared on the Forbes Africa 30 Under 30 list of promising changemakers on the continent.
Perhaps most remarkably, Yunke made history at the age of 17 as the first African to present on child rights advocacy at the G8 Summit in 2007, a moment that signalled, early on, the kind of platform he was destined to build.
The Ceremony Today
The Koito is a traditional engagement ceremony in Maasai culture, a significant step in the formalisation of a union between two families. Today’s event at Intonna Farm in Kilgoris brings together the Ruto and Yunke families in what is expected to be a warm and culturally rich celebration, set against the backdrop of the Narok highlands.
The presence of President Samia Suluhu Hassan of Tanzania at the ceremony underscores the cross-border significance of the union, bringing together two East African nations through family ties as much as through diplomacy.
For Charlene Ruto, who has carved out her own identity as a public figure independent of her father’s presidency, the choice of a partner with Isaiah Yunke’s record of independent achievement speaks for itself. Today, Kenya celebrates with her.
Congratulations to Charlene and Isaiah. ❤️
Isaiah Yunke isn’t the only Tanzanian making waves. CityNews investigates how East Africa’s ruling families — including Tanzania’s — are using British institutions to consolidate power. Read our exclusive investigation: Serve To Inherit: How Britain’s Elite Military Academy Sandhurst Is Training Africa’s Next Generation of Dictators
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