From Selling Deras to Dressing DP Ruto: Untold Story of Maryne Keseri

Over the past two years, Deputy President William Ruto has been donning amazing Kitenge outfits while going about his campaigns and other state affairs. His outfits have been creating a buzz online with many wondering the brains behind them.

A research conducted by Nairobi Leo has established that the DP's outfits are created by Maryne Keseri Muholo the founder and owner of Keseri Headwrap & Afrikeseri Collections.

In a past interview, Keseri disclosed that she started dressing DP Ruto in 2021 when she was 24 years, adding that getting to that point was not a walk in the park.

Narrating her business journey, Keseri said she got into business after her friends in school kept asking about her outfits. She decided to start supplying deras and head wraps to meet the growing demand.

Maryne Keseri, the designer behind DP Ruto's fashionable kitenges.  [Photo: Courtesy]

Since she focused on female clothes, Keseri introduced mabuyu and achari to cater to her male customers. Her business grew and caught the attention of clients from across the country.

"I started my business with Sh8,000. Sh3,000 ilikuwa ya kuenda Mombasa. Sh5,000 was for buying dera, mabuyu and achari," she said during the interview.

Explaining how she ended up dressing Ruto, Keseri said she was introduced to the DP through one of her clients who is an aide of the second in command.

"When I was 24, a client used to tell me, I'll introduce you to my boss, you do a very nice job... One time I'm coming from Mombasa, I land at Wilson and see a call, she tells me I need you to take their measurements... She later called and told me Keseri my boss has approved. You will be making clothes for him," she told a local daily. 

It is then that she was told that the boss in question was the Deputy President. Ever since, she has been working with the DP and is proud that her designs have helped revolutionize the kitenge fashion scene.

" I am so proud because since we started doing the outfits for him, we have seen other people improving how they do their kitenge," she added.

Below is a video of some of the outfits she's made for the DP: