Ruto: Why I didn't wear wedding ring during 7pm interview

President William Ruto during interview with journalists at State House, Nairobi on January 4, 2023. The left picture is that of the president during 7pm interview, and the right picture is that of him during the 9pm interview. [Standard]

President William Ruto has said he did not wear his wedding ring during the Wednesday 7pm interview with journalists at State House, Nairobi because he was hurriedly taken to the interview set.

The president said he had been in a meeting earlier Wednesday, and was told by his handlers that journalists were waiting for him on the set for the scheduled interview.

“In a hurry to come here, they (handlers) told me to go and dress up. In the process of all that, I forgot my [wedding] ring. It’s interesting that it became a subject of discussion. I thought we were having a very serious discussion,” the president said during the follow-up interview at 9pm on Wednesday, January 4.

Ruto went ahead to reveal that the wedding ring he was wearing during the interview was a replacement after the original ring got worn out.

“When Rachel and I got married [in 1991], we went to Nagin Pattni and bought rings there. Each ring cost us Sh700. My ring got tired along the way,” said Ruto, revealing that he subsequently tasked his wife Rachel to help him replace the worn out ring.

“Rachel took long to get a replacement. So, when she [eventually] got a replacement [I decided to wear it religiously],” said the Head of State.