President William Ruto has opened up about a childhood dream he once held—to study at Starehe Boys Centre—but which never materialized.
The Head of State revealed that although he emerged as the top student in his school, he missed the admission cut-off for Starehe due to falling short of the required marks.
Speaking during the 70th anniversary of the African Inland Church (AIC) Ziwani, held on the grounds of Starehe Boys in Nairobi, President Ruto shared that his aspiration to join the prestigious institution was sparked when a boy from his village was accepted there in 1978.
“Nilitamani sana kuja Starehe nikiwa class 7 lakini sikupata bahati. Nilitamani kuja hapa kwa sababu kuna jamaa mmoja wa kijiji yetu alikuja hapa kwa kuwa the best student in 1978. Huko kijiji mtu akikuja Nairobi, maneno makubwa sana hayo, alafu Starehe Boys Centre, miujiza,” Ruto said.
(Translation: “I really wanted to come to Starehe when I was in Class 7, but I wasn’t lucky enough. I longed to study here because someone from our village came in 1978 after being the best student. In the village, coming to Nairobi was a big deal—being accepted to Starehe Boys Centre was like a miracle.”)
He recalled praying earnestly to succeed in his Certificate of Primary Education (CPE) exams so he could be selected to join Starehe.
Despite topping his school in the 1980 exams, Ruto narrowly missed the school’s qualifying score by three points.
“I asked God to help me perform well and be admitted to Starehe Boys Centre. When I sat for my CPE in 1980, I was the best in my school—just like that other student. But he had 36 marks and I scored 33. So, I didn’t make the cut, although I remained the top student,” Ruto recounted.
Now as President, he said it is a privilege to support the school that once inspired him. He announced a government grant of Sh60 million to replace the school’s asbestos roofing.
“Even though I didn’t get the chance to study here, I want to give back by helping improve the school’s facilities,” he said.
“I’ve been informed that the roof is made of asbestos, which is banned. The government will allocate Sh60 million for replacing the roof and upgrading the school’s infrastructure. Work will begin in December during the school holidays.”
He emphasized that the renovations will not only remove hazardous materials but also enhance the learning environment for future generations.
