Coming from affluent families of Raila Odinga, William Ruto, Kalonzo Musyoka and Rigathi Gachagua, these sons of power are charting their own paths while tapping into the influence and mentorship of their parents.
Their fathers have been at the helm of Kenyan politics for decades, amassing wealth and influence while also giving them networks and opportunities that the rest of Kenyans can only dream of.
The typical period between graduation and hustling for a job that most Kenyans go through is not an experience that they are familiar with as thier present and future appear well mapped out in business, politics or high-flying careers.
Nick Ruto: Impressive job that came with controversies
Nick Ruto was admitted to the bar as an advocate of the high court of Kenya in 2019 and embarked on a career that has been on the rise, with the shadows of his powerful father hovering over his head.
READ: What Ruto and his men own & wear: Game of fashion & luxury amid economic hardships
A lawyer by profession, Nick found himself at the center of controversy over his association with Dentons, Hamilton Harrison & Mathews, the law firm that represents Adani Airports Holdings.
At the time, the company had just landed multibillion JKIA and KETRACO delas that were later revoked amid protests and claims of corruption, with the US indicting Gautam Adani for bribery.
Landing a job at the prestigious firm saw speculation arse that his high-profile family connections may have played a role.
Adil Arshed Khawaja, Safaricom board chairperson and the Managing Partner at the company asserted that Nick earned the opportunity to work at Dentons HHM on merit
I didn't even know that he (Nick) had applied. We receive thousands of applications each year and he was one of the applicants. He went through the process and was selected.
George Ruto: In the father's footsteps
He schooled at Mang’u High (2013-2016) with his schoolmates revealing that he was a reserved young man.
"He joined Form One in Mang'u High School in 2013. George was a cool person, very disciplined but kept to himself a lot," a classmate revealed in a past interview.
After writing his Kenya Certificate of Secondary Examinations, George joined Strathmore University where he graduated in 2021 with a degree in Actuarial Science.
Like his enterprising father, George has strong interest in business and has been flexing his financial muscles in the matatu industry amid controversy.
The matatu christened MoneyFest that has been flagged for breaking traffic rules, endangering the lives of commuters and road users and was impounded at one point is among the matatus liked to the son of the President.
He owns a fleet of matatus and is a familiar face in vibrant city matatu culture.
Kennedy Musyoka: Luck, connections or merit
Like his father, Kennedy Musyoka is a lawyer by profession and a politician by occupation who has benefitted from two successive nominations by his father’s Wiper Party to serve in the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) as an MP and sailing through parliament.
He landed his first stint at 30 years of age in 2017, attributing his nomination to his skill in strategy development while consulting for Wiper party.
While Kennedy insists that he made it purely on merit, critics link his two stints as EALA MP to strong family connections.
“Life is usually unfair, I came to terms with that. In one way or another I will always be looked at unfairly, I try not to focus too much on that because I know what I am capable of, with time the results will speak for themselves.” Kennedy remarked in a past interview.
READ: Profile of Raila's sister appointed by Ruto to plum government job
He is an alumnus of the prestigious Brookhouse School where he pursued his high school education before proceeding to the University of New Castle in New South Wales, Australia for his undergraduate degree in International Affairs, Politics and Public Policy.
Kennedy also holds a Law degree from the University of Nairobi, having graduated in 2014.
He has previously served at Equity Bank's legal department and is the Secretary-General of the Kalonzo Musyoka Foundation.
Raila Odinga Junior
Businessman Raila Odinga Junior prides himself as an ordinary Kenyan with an established presence on social media where he weighs in on current affairs, politics and sports.
He is an accomplished entrepreneur in his own right and owns The Creative Hub Ltd where he serves as the executive media producer in addition to managing the family’s vast businesses.
He is a philanthropist who puts his money where it matters with Adelle Onyango initiative to support rape victims in Kibera to access professional counselling services and support among the beneficiaries of his philanthropy.
Raila Junior holds a BA Hon’s in Accounting and Finance from the University of Wales having graduated in 2002 and an MSc Finance from the University of Leeds obtained in 2004.
Kevin Gachagua
Until last year, little was known about Kevin Gachagua who is the first-born son of former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua and Pastor Dorcas Rigathi.
Kevin who is a software engineer by training has kept a low profile, managing his businesses and the family’s vast empire.
The magnitude of his investment came to light during former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua’s impeachment, with Gachagua referencing several companies owned by his sons.
Gachagua listed 22 companies, including foundations and non-profit organisations owned by his family and run by his two sons, who are the directors.
Keith Ikinu: The doctor building an empire
Keith studied at Alliance Boys High School, scoring an impressive A plain of 86.92 points in his Kenya Certificate for Secondary Education (KCSE) and ranking 17th nationally in the 2010 KCSE.
He is a qualified medical doctor who graduated from the University of Nairobi with a Bachelor of Medicine and a Bachelor of Surgery in 2019.
Going by his father’s account as the heat of impeachment escalated, Keith started making money moves at a young age, acquiring assets at an impressive rate and securing loans from banks to expand his empire.
The iconic Treetops and Outspan Hotels are part of his business empire.
Alongside his older brother Kevin, Keith manages the family’s businesses spread across various sectors including real estate, agriculture and hospitality.