A journalist was on Thursday forced to leave an event, rush home and change clothes after she drew the ire of President Ruto’s mother Sarah Cheruiyot over her mode of dressing.
Zipporah Achieng, 22, a camerawoman with one of the local stations, became the unwitting star of the event where Uasin Gishu Governor Jonathan Bii was handing out title deeds to farmers in the area.
Achieng was shocked when she saw the First Mother stand up, walk up to her and wrap a ‘Maasai shuka’ around her waist in the full glare of everyone present.
“Mama Sarah came to the function, sat down, didn’t even stand up during the national anthem, did not even stand during prayers but she stood up and came straight to me. I couldn’t believe it but my parents taught me to respect the elderly,” Achieng told Citizen Digital.
“After she warmly hugged me and gave me the Masaai shuka, I felt I should go home and change into something else.”
After the incident, Mama Sarah took to the podium and explained what had happened and why she did it.
“When I got here, I saw my daughter and her short dress, I told myself, if her camera falls and she bends over to pick it up, there will be nothing covering her. That is why I left my seat to go cover her with my shuka,” said the president’s mother.
“We were taught that a woman should not go anywhere without a leso… You might meet an expectant mother about to give birth and you don’t have anything to help her with.”
Mama Sarah, who was amused by the whole situation asked the journalist to take it positively and not think she picked on her unfairly.
“I am blessing you, my daughter, don’t say grandmother came to disturb me, I was blessing you,” she said.
For Achieng, she did take the whole thing positively saying Mama Sarah is like her grandmother.
“I took it very positively, remember she is almost the age of my grandmother and the fact that she did what she did shows she was concerned,” added the young journalist.
After changing clothes from her grey shiny dress into a blue power suit, Achieng went straight to where Ruto’s mother was seated, shook her hand, and apologised to the granny who was elated she heeded her advice.
“She told me I was looking good after I changed,” says Achieng laughing.
“She smiled and whispered to me you are a good girl and went ahead and took my phone number and I hope she will be my mentor.”
