President Ruto's daughter Charlene has been caught up in a political battle with an MP in Kitui County following her two-day visit to the region.
Kitui East Nimrod Mbai has publicly castigated Ms Ruto over her charity work.
Ms Ruto was in Kitui South Constituency on Sunday hosted by East Africa Community Cabinet Secretary Peninah Malonza, where she distributed more than 1,000 pairs of shoes to various primary schools in the area.
The President's daughter was accompanied by Zero Bare Foot Campaign CEO Victor Kiprono among other officials of the organisation.
During the distribution of shoes at Itumba Primary School in Mutha Ward, Kitui South MP Rachael Nyamai (Jubilee) said she had been sidelined in the project.
The MP insinuated a sinister motive by the organisers of the event to keep her in the dark, prompting Ms Malonza to explain that her office wrote and dispatched letters to all elected leaders including members of the county assembly.
“For the two years of President Ruto’s administration, the people of Kitui haven’t benefited from his government," said Mr Mbai.
The MP, who has declared his interest in the Kitui County chairmanship seat in the upcoming UDA grassroots elections, said the shoes were not a priority for residents.
“We now hear that they have come up with a funny programme of distributing oversized plastic shoes in our primary schools. Those shoes are of poor quality and they had to go return with them to Nairobi because none could fit the children,” he charged.
The accusations by the Kitui East MP prompted Ms Ruto to convene a press conference at Kyoani Primary School in Ikutha to respond to their claims.
The President’s daughter, who appeared agitated, said it was unacceptable for young children to walk to school without shoes.
Ms Ruto said she was touched by confessions by pupils in the schools she visited that the pair her team donated to them was the first one they had ever owned.
She explained that, when Zero Barefoot Campaign approached her, she gladly accepted to be their patron because she believed that children from needy families deserve support and encouragement.
“What I want to tell Kenyans is that a pair of shoes can be donated by anyone. You don't have to wait for somebody else to do it, so let us take this upon ourselves because the children walking barefoot to schools are our young brothers and sisters, and some of their parents are even struggling to pay their school fees" she said.
Ms Ruto said she had distributed 1,000 shoes in two days and that, for every pair given, she will also donate a tree seedling, in line with her father's campaign to plant 15 billion trees.
On his part, Mr Kiprono said the shoes were comfortable and made of leather and not plastic as alleged by Mr Mbai.
CS Malonza said she didn't expect Ms Nyamai to complain of “trivial issues” such as not being invited to a meeting.
The issue has been tied to local politics, with Mr Mbai fearing he might lose the UDA elections if Ms Malonza throws her weight behind another candidate.
The political differences have reportedly caused the postponement of President Ruto’s tour of the region on numerous occasions.
