President William Ruto's attendance at his daughter Cullie's graduation ceremony in Dubai has sparked a fresh debate among Kenyans over the state of the country's education system.
Cullie graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Interior Architecture from the Dubai campus of Heriot-Watt University, according to an official State House dispatch. The Scottish university's Dubai campus hosted the graduation ceremony, where the President and First Lady Rachel Ruto joined family members to celebrate the milestone.
Photos shared online showed the President and the First Lady posing alongside their daughter, who was dressed in graduation attire and holding her degree certificate and a bouquet of flowers.
The images quickly spread across social media, attracting both congratulatory messages and criticism from some Kenyans.
While many users congratulated Cullie on her academic achievement and wished her success in her career, others used the occasion to question the quality of Kenya's education system and the decision by some political leaders to educate their children abroad.
One user, Ciru Muriuku, wrote: "They destroy education in Kenyan schools and university while taking their children to international schools and university."
Another user, Saddique Shaban, commented: "Meanwhile, Moi University in his own home town and backyard is almost closing down."
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The remarks reflected broader concerns expressed online about the challenges facing public universities, including financial struggles, infrastructure deficits and frequent disruptions to learning.
The graduation also offered a rare glimpse into the First Family's private life, with President Ruto and the First Lady joining parents from different countries in celebrating their daughter's academic achievement.
As the graduation photos continued to circulate online after being shared by Facebook bloggers, the conversation extended beyond congratulatory messages, with many Kenyans using the moment to highlight what they described as the need to strengthen and invest more in the country's education sector.