President William Ruto has responded to criticism over his expensive wedding outfit, questioning why his clothing choice has become a subject of public debate and challenging his opponents to focus on government policies and development plans.
Speaking during a church service at St. Mary’s Girls High School grounds in Narok on Sunday, November 15, Ruto took issue with critics who questioned the jacket he wore during a wedding in Tanzania.
He argued that dressing is a personal choice and that people should be allowed to wear what they want without facing criticism.
“Meanwhile, my friends, I have heard that some people are complaining about dressing and what people wear. How someone dresses is their personal choice, isn’t it? Everyone wears what they want,” he said.
Ruto specifically questioned why critics were concerned about his wedding jacket, asking what his clothing choice had to do with them.
“Now, someone else is complaining about the kind of jacket I wore to a wedding. What business is my jacket to you? What does it have to do with you?” he posed.
The President maintained that he paid attention to his appearance, speech, ideas and actions, arguing that personal discipline extended beyond dressing.
“Just like everything else I do, I pay attention to what I say, the ideas I pursue, what I do and how I dress. I pay attention,” he stated.
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He further challenged those criticising his outfit to examine whether their own comments about jackets, shoes, and watches amounted to the same kind of criticism they directed at others.
Sifuna, Gachagua Question Cost of Ruto’s Tanzania Wedding Outfit
The controversy began on Saturday, November 14, when Presidential Aspirant and Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna criticised President William Ruto’s expensive outfit during the burial of former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua’s elder sister in Nyeri County.
Sifuna claimed that Ruto’s jacket cost KSh20 million, shoes KSh20 million and a wristwatch KSh30 million, bringing the reported value of the three items to KSh70 million.
He joked that the President looked like a walking savings and credit cooperative society from which ordinary Kenyans could seek loans.
The senator also defended his preference for wearing T-shirts, arguing that leadership should be judged by service delivery rather than expensive clothing.
Gachagua joined the debate on Sunday, November 15, questioning the reported expenditure on the Tanzanian wedding and Ruto’s remarks about equality.
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He claimed that the wedding tent cost KSh20 million, food KSh5 million, gifts KSh15 million and the venue KSh25 million.
“The President attended a wedding in Tanzania. The tent alone cost KSh20 million, food KSh5 million, gifts KSh15 million, and the venue KSh25 million. Yet he still talks about equality?” Gachagua remarked.
Ruto Defends Government Development Projects
During the same address, Ruto criticised opponents who questioned government development initiatives, including the affordable housing programme, road construction and Talanta Stadium.
He also referenced criticism directed at markets being constructed for women, saying some opponents had questioned their usefulness.
The President maintained that the country would continue pursuing its development agenda despite the criticism.
He concluded by calling for national unity and respect for people’s personal choices.
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