Nairobi — A young Kenyan author is at the centre of a growing national storm after being charged for writing a book about Charlene Ruto, daughter of President William Ruto.
The case, which rights groups have called an attack on free expression, is quickly becoming a flashpoint in the country’s wider debate over press freedom and political tolerance.
Webster Ochora Elijah, 25, was arrested this week and charged with impersonation in connection to his self-published book Beyond the Name: Charlene Ruto and the Youth Uprising. The charge, according to court documents, alleges that he intended to defraud by writing the book without seeking her permission.
Charlene Ruto, speaking to journalists, said she had reported the matter herself. “We have a bad culture in Kenya where we misuse people’s names and get away with it. That is not right,” she said. “The gentleman never came to me with a suggestion that he wants to write a book on my behalf. For me, that is misappropriation of my name.”
She did not object to the content of the book, but to the fact that it was written at all, without her approval.
The case has alarmed freedom of speech advocates, who say no law was broken.
“To criminalise authorship is to misuse state machinery in defence of fragile egos,” said lawyer and politician Willis Otieno. “This is a dangerous precedent.”
Others drew comparisons with past examples. “In 2014, someone wrote a biography of President Uhuru Kenyatta without asking him. That wasn’t illegal then and it isn’t illegal now,” said literary critic Mbugua Ngunjiri. “A million people could write about Charlene and it would still be lawful.”
He added, “Unless there’s a clear misrepresentation or defamation, the law should not be involved.”
The book has not been widely circulated and is not available online. Details about its contents remain limited.
Mr Elijah pleaded not guilty and was released on bail. His lawyer, Kennedy Mong’are, said the charges are baseless. “He has written books on Raila Odinga and even Donald Trump. None of those drew legal threats,” he told local media.
Another lawyer, Evan Ondieki, said the case shows a worrying trend. “Public figures must accept scrutiny. You can’t be so thin-skinned that the mere use of your name becomes a crime.”
Charlene Ruto, often referred to in the Kenyan press as a kind of “Ivanka Trump figure,” has become a recognisable public face. She regularly attends public events and international summits and has previously denied that her activities are funded by the government.
Her visibility, critics say, comes with a certain level of public attention and scrutiny.
The author’s arrest has been linked to a broader concern about freedom of expression in Kenya. Only last week, software developer Rose Njeri was detained after building a tool to help Kenyans reject the controversial Finance Bill. She was later charged with cybercrime and released on bail.
“Arresting people for ideas or digital tools is ludicrous,” Njeri said after her release, thanking those who had supported her.
In a separate case in April, a teacher was charged with impersonating another of President Ruto’s daughters on Facebook.
While those close to Charlene Ruto say the case is about personal rights, critics argue the message is chilling: that those in power are willing to criminalise dissent even when it takes the form of a little-read book.
The case returns to court later this month. In the meantime, Mr Elijah remains out on bail, and his fate along with the state of free expression in Kenya hangs in the balance.
