TV host Natalie Githinji has revealed that she did not want to be associated with the nickname ‘Githinji’ at a time when President William Ruto was trending with it.
She explained that the timing was not right for her in an interview with Oga Obinna on Tuesday, February 24, 2026.
“Mr President was trending with me, nikasema, this is the wrong time to be called Githinji. Just call me Natalie. Niite tu Natalie for now,” she said.
She stressed that she preferred to be recognised simply as Natalie while the president’s nickname was gaining traction.
The Githinji nickname and political context
At the time when Ruto was trending with the name, Dennis Itumbi,the Head of Presidential Special Projects and the Creative Economy, came out to defend the president in response to Rigathi Gachagua’s sustained attacks on the head of state.
In a post shared online on Sunday, November 2, 2025, Itumbi wrote, “Yes, Gachagua, @WilliamsRuto GITHINJI/KITHINJI. Hio jina iko sawa kabisa. He joins a list of thousands of Mt. Kenya sons and daughters who carry the name as a first name or surname.”
By saying the nickname “fits perfectly,” Itumbi suggested that Ruto’s leadership style and engagement resonate with the Mt Kenya community, where the name is common.
Referring to the president as Githinji, took the country by storm as Kenyans began embracing it last year. The first leader who came out to adopt it was Rigathi Gachagua, who has been his vocal critic ever since their fallout in October 2024.
Ruto has had many nicknames. Each season, he gets a nickname that defines him, unlike his predecessor, retired President Uhuru Kenyatta, who earned his nicknames “Jayden” and “Uhunye” for good reasons, compared to Ruto’s.
Natalie’s statement is a reminder of how public figures and their associates often navigate attention that merges personal identity with political symbolism.
While Itumbi and Gachagua welcomed the nickname for Ruto, Natalie kept her own boundaries clear. She says, “Niite tu Natalie for now,” highlighting a simple request amid a complex public conversation.
