First Lady of Kenya
{{Short description|Wife of the President of Kenya}}
{{EngvarB|date=February 2015}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2022}}
{{Infobox Political post
|post = First Lady
|body = Kenya
|insignia = Flag of Kenya.svg
|insigniasize = 100px
|insigniacaption =
|image = Rachel_Ruto_(cropped).jpg
|incumbent = Rachel Ruto
|incumbentsince = 13 September 2022
|residence = State House
|preceded by =
|termlength =
|formation = 12 December 1964
|inaugural = Ngina Kenyatta
|website = [http://www.president.go.ke/office-of-the-first-lady/ Office of the First Lady of Kenya]
|twitter = @FirstLadyKenya
}}
The first lady of Kenya is the title held by the wife of the president of Kenya. While the office has been in existence since independence, it is not in the Constitution of Kenya. This has brought it under fire for having funding despite being unconstitutional.{{Cite web |date=2024-07-03 |title=Khalwale wants First Lady, Second Lady offices removed, calls them 'private family issues' |url=https://www.citizen.digital/news/khalwale-wants-first-lady-second-lady-offices-removed-calls-them-private-family-issues-n345125 |access-date=2024-07-16 |website=Citizen Digital |language=en-KE}} President William Ruto pulled funding from the office after a public outcry. The country's present first lady is Rachel Ruto, wife of President William Ruto, who took office on 13 September 2022.
First ladies of Kenya
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" |
| No
! Name ! Term Began ! Term Ended ! President of Kenya |
|---|
| 1
| 12 December 1964 | 22 August 1978 |
| 2
| Lena Moi | 22 August 1978 | 30 December 2002 |
| 3
| 30 December 2002 | 9 April 2013 |
| 4
| 9 April 2013 | 13 September 2022 |
| 5
| 13 September 2022 | Incumbent |
Daniel arap Moi and his wife Lena Moi separated in 1974. However, they remained married until her death on 22 July 2004.{{cite news|first=Patrick|last=Wachira|title=Kenya: Grief As Moi's Wife Dies |url=http://allafrica.com/stories/200407260321.html |work=The Standard (Kenya) |publisher=AllAfrica.com |date=24 July 2004 |access-date=30 July 2012}} Ngina reportedly retained her first lady status even after the death of her husband in 1978. Official papers and statements released by the Kenyan government identified Lena Moi as the country's "second first lady."{{cite news|title=President Kibaki attends Lena's burial |url=http://www.statehousekenya.go.ke/news/july04/2004310701.htm |work=State House (Kenya) |date=31 July 2004 |access-date=30 July 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130713001939/http://www.statehousekenya.go.ke/news/july04/2004310701.htm |archive-date=13 July 2013 |url-status=dead}}
In April 2016, Kenya lost its 3rd first lady Lucy Kibaki who died while undergoing treatment in London, United Kingdom.{{Cite web|url=https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/article/2000199741/lucy-s-final-moments-were-painful-but-she-was-cheerful|title=Lucy's final moments were painful but she was cheerful|last=Ngige|first=Francis|website=The Standard|language=en|access-date=18 February 2020}} She was the wife to the 3rd president of Kenya Mwai Kibaki.
See also
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.president.go.ke/office-of-the-first-lady/ Office of the First Lady of Kenya] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190510184421/http://www.president.go.ke/office-of-the-first-lady/ |date=10 May 2019 }}
- [https://twitter.com/FirstLadyKenya?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor @FirstLadyKenya Twitter account] (verified)
{{Spouses of heads of state }}
Category:Lists of Kenyan women
Category:Lists of political office-holders in Kenya
{{Kenya-politician-stub}}