NAIROBI, Kenya — Kenyan free-speech advocates and legal professionals have strongly condemned the prosecution of an author who penned an unauthorized biography of Charlene Ruto, daughter of Kenyan President William Ruto.
The author, Webster Ochora Elijah, was arrested on Tuesday and charged with impersonation in connection with his book, Beyond the Name: Charlene Ruto and the Youth Uprising. He pleaded not guilty and has since been released on bail.
Charlene Ruto is listed as the complainant on the charge sheet, alleging that the accused published the book on or before May 22 with intent to defraud, alongside others yet to be charged.
Ms. Ruto informed journalists that she reported the matter to the police and is following legal procedures. Her core complaint centers on the book being written without her permission, rather than its content.
However, critics argue that writing an unauthorized biography is not illegal. Prominent politician and lawyer Willis Otieno asserted that to “criminalise authorship” was misusing the “state machinery in defence of fragile egos.”
Literary critic Mbugua Ngunjiri echoed this sentiment, stating the author did “nothing wrong” and cited an unauthorized biography of former President Uhuru Kenyatta from 2014, where the “author did not need to consult.”
Ngunjiri further posted on Facebook, “A million writers can write ‘her book’ and it will be perfectly legal. The only time Charlene would be justified to go after the author is if he misrepresented her in any way.”
The president’s daughter, in her statement to journalists, highlighted what she perceives as a “bad culture” in Kenya “where we misuse people’s names and we get away with it and that is not right.”
She emphasized that the author had not sought her permission, regardless of whether the book’s portrayal of her was “positive.” “The gentleman never came to me with a suggestion that he wants to write a book on my behalf and for me that is a misappropriate use of my name,” she stated.
The self-published book, written by the 25-year-old relatively unknown author, has not seen widespread distribution, and details regarding its contents are scarce. It is not currently available online.
Elijah’s legal team contends that his work does not constitute a crime. His lawyer, Kennedy Mong’are, informed local media that Elijah has previously authored books about other public figures, including veteran politician Raila Odinga and President Donald Trump.
Another lawyer, Evan Ondieki, stressed that high-ranking government figures should expect public scrutiny and that the arrest undermines Kenya’s democratic values. “You cannot be so thick-skinned that the use of your name or image becomes an offence,” he declared.
Also Read: Accountability for sale? Uganda court decision limits citizens’ right to know
This incident follows a separate case in April where a secondary school teacher was charged with impersonating another of President Ruto’s daughters, June Ruto, on Facebook. Charlene Ruto herself is a high-profile public figure, often compared to Ivanka Trump, daughter of the former U.S. President.
She frequently attends public events, has met leaders across the country, and participated in international forums. In 2022, she publicly denied that public funds were being used to finance what she referred to as the “Office of the First Daughter.”
The court case has intensified concerns about potential restrictions on free expression in Kenya, especially in light of the recent detention of software developer Rose Njeri. Njeri was arrested on Friday for developing a tool that enabled citizens to voice opposition to the government’s annual finance bill.
She faced cybercrime and computer misuse charges on Tuesday and was released on bail, with a court hearing scheduled for June 20 to determine if she will answer the charges. Njeri has since publicly thanked Kenyans for their support against her “ludicrous” arrest and detention.
