Mama Jerusha Muthoni, the woman who received a house from President William Ruto during the launch of the Mukuru affordable housing project, has come out strongly to dismiss claims that the government used her as a publicity prop.
Speaking during the Kenya Urban Forum in Nakuru on Tuesday, July 17, Jerusha addressed the wave of online speculation suggesting she was part of a staged political stunt. She clarified that she is a real beneficiary of the housing program and not an actor planted to manipulate public opinion.
“There are people claiming I’ve been following the President around saying they saw me in Kisii, others say I was in Kisumu cooking fish. Those are lies spread by people who don’t support this programme,” Jerusha stated.
She expressed gratitude for the life-changing opportunity, saying it aligned with President Ruto’s promise to uplift ordinary Kenyans.
“He[Ruto] said he would uplift our lives through the bottom-up agenda. I’m proof that he meant it. I was brought from where I was, and I believe I’ll go even further.”
Jerusha also shut down rumors that the government repossessed her house soon after the event. She confirmed that she still lives in the house and called out social media users for spreading false information.
“People come to my home just to see if I’m still there. Some take photos and videos for TikTok,” she said. “Some even claimed that my things were taken away, and they have been coming to confirm.”
Photos of Mama Jerusha with President Ruto went viral after the handover, but soon after, other images began circulating online, showing different women the President had met, falsely identified as Jerusha.
She firmly denied all claims and said that she is the rightful owner of the home, calling on Kenyans to ignore the misinformation.
