Charlene Ruto Wedding: Why First Daughter Handed Sweet Gifts to Guest at Wedding in Tanzania

President William Ruto's daughter, Charlene Ruto, has revealed the special meaning behind the gifts she presented to guests during her wedding to Tanzanian businessman Isaya Yunge in Mwanza.

The First Daughter chose two items with connections to Kenya and Tanzania: honey sourced partly from her own bee farm in Kenya and colourful khanga fabric, a popular East African textile.

In an Instagram post, Charlene explained that she wanted the gifts to express her appreciation for the people who attended her special day.

She said honey was an obvious choice because she wanted her guests to remember how much their presence meant to her. The sweet product also reflected her personal interest in beekeeping.

Charlene revealed that she transported honey from her bee farm in Kenya to Tanzania, giving her guests an opportunity to sample a product from her home country.

The First Daughter has previously spoken about her passion for beekeeping and honey. She also revealed that she introduced her father, President William Ruto, to the habit of consuming honey daily.

Charlene disclosed that the honey she had carried from Kenya was not enough for all her wedding guests.

After running out of her own supply, she purchased additional honey from a local producer in Mwanza Town, where the wedding took place.

She said the decision gave her an opportunity to support a Tanzanian honey business while ensuring that all her guests received the gift.

"My guests got to experience the sweetness of Kenya and Tanzania," she wrote.

Besides honey, the wedding guests received khanga, a brightly coloured printed fabric widely worn across Tanzania and other parts of East Africa.

The choice of the two gifts carried a symbolic message, bringing together elements of the bride's Kenyan roots and the groom's Tanzanian background.

While the honey represented Kenya, the khanga offered guests a distinctly Tanzanian touch, reflecting the cultural connections between the two neighbouring countries.

Charlene exchanged vows with Tanzanian technology entrepreneur Isaya Yunge in a white wedding ceremony held in Mwanza on Friday, November 6.

President William Ruto and First Lady Rachel Ruto were among those who attended the celebrations, which brought together family members and guests from Kenya and Tanzania.

The wedding followed the couple's traditional Kalenjin Koito ceremony held in August at the Ruto family's Intonna Heritage Farm in Kilgoris, Narok County.

The traditional ceremony also attracted guests from both countries, marking the union of the Kenyan First Daughter and her Tanzanian partner.