President Ruto emotionally recalls losing first-born son

President William Ruto on Thursday emotionally recounted the loss of his first-born son as he spoke about maternal and newborn deaths in Kenya during the National Prayer Breakfast in Nairobi.

The President said the painful experience remains personal to him and First Lady Rachel Ruto, as he called for urgent action to stop preventable deaths among mothers and newborns.

“Mothers are losing their lives during childbirth and newborns continue to die. This experience is personal to me,” said Ruto.

“Mama Rachel and I lost our first-born son; it’s not something that is far-fetched, it is not something that is a story, it is a reality that we live through every day.”

Ruto cited a conversation he had with a woman while attending an event in New York last year, saying the woman put him to task on the rising cases of maternal rates for women and children, comparing Kenya to Afghanistan.

According to the president, the woman’s concerns took him aback and reminded him of his personal tragedy.

“I remember an incident when I was in New York last year, and a lady walked to me and told me, ‘Mr President, women and children are dying in your country,’” he recounted.

“I looked at that lady and it was a very embarrassing moment to me; it was tragic because she went on to tell me that you are in the league of Afghanistan.”

According to the President, the woman expressed concern that Kenya, despite being considered a progressive country, continues to record maternal and newborn deaths.

“She told me that Kenya is a very progressive country and it is shameful that mothers continue to lose lives when they are giving birth and newborns continue to die,” he said.

Ruto used the moment to defend his administration’s push for Universal Health Coverage (UHC), saying healthcare should not be determined by a person’s financial status.

“Health, as I have always said, cannot continue to be a privilege for those who can afford, those who have jobs or those who have money,” said the President.

“Health must be, as it is in the Constitution, Section 43, a right for every citizen of the Republic of Kenya, irrespective of who they are, where they come from, their socioeconomic status, and it is the reason why I was willing to do anything to make sure Universal Health Care succeeds.”

The Head of State reiterated the need for reforms in the healthcare sector to ensure expectant mothers and newborns have access to quality and affordable healthcare services across the country.