Is It A Must To Get Ruto's Portrait At Ksh300?
The pictures of President Ruto are available at a cost of just Ksh300.
Marvin Chege 
Kenyans can now get the official presidential portrait of President William Ruto from designated points across the country.
Government Spokesperson Col (Rtd) Cyrus Oguna announced on Thursday, September 15 that the portraits can be collected from various departments of information across the country.
The pictures of President Ruto are available at a cost of just Ksh300. In Nairobi, Kenyans can purchase them from the Department of Information at Uchimi House along Aga Khan walk in the Central Business District (CBD).
An image of President William Ruto's portrait. /FILE
As for the rest of the 46 counties, Oguna added that stated that the portraits could be acquired in various counties and sub-county offices under the Ministry of Information Communication and Technology (ICT).
"Following the inauguration into office of H.E Hon. William Samoei Ruto, as the President of the Republic of Kenya, we wish to inform our people that presidential portraits are now available. They can be collected from the Department of Information on the 5th floor, Uchumi House, Agakhan Walk, Nairobi.
"Offices and individuals at the county and sub-county levels can get their copies from County/Sub-county Information Officers. A token fee of Ksh300 is charged for each portrait," Oguna stated.
The now lingering question in Kenyans' minds is whether it is a must for various institutions and business enterprises to have the portrait on their premises. It was released to the public on Tuesday, September 13 during Ruto's inauguration ceremony.
In line with the tradition, portraits of former President Uhuru Kenyatta were replaced with those of Ruto in major government buildings such as the State House, just like the institutions, a tradition that dates back to the 60s.
While there is no law that stipulates that Kenyans should have the portrait in their businesses, the government has been recently enforcing its display across the country. Traders to be specific have been the target of harassment by rogue county officials and police for failing to hang the president's portrait.
In 2016, the Ministry of Interior warned traders against removing Uhuru's portraits in rebellion, following directives issued by the opposition under former Prime Minister Raila Odinga.
Former Siaya governor Cornel Rasanga asked residents to replace Uhuru's portraits with those of Raila and the Ministry responded noted by threatening to fine those found contravening the directive.
“We wish to take this early opportunity to recognise your highly esteemed position and humbly request you to display the presidential portrait at your workplace.”
“The government will impose a penalty on all citizens who do not comply with the notice,” read the statement in part.
The directive sparked an uproar on social media which forced the State House to clarify the statement.
“No one is forcing anyone to do anything. I think portraits have been up in terms of existing tradition…and it is one that we are not fleeing away from,” Kenyan High Commissioner to the UK, Manoah Esipisu,- who was serving as the State Spokesperson, stated.
Ruto's portrait has the Kenyan flag in the background – a design that mirrors a tradition adopted by American presidents since 1961. In a break from tradition, President Ruto becomes the first head of state in Kenya to have the flag as part of his official portrait, whose quality is also the first three-dimensional (3D) model.
His predecessors Mzee Jomo Kenyatta, Daniel Arap Moi, Mwai Kibaki and Uhuru Kenyatta had a clear background in their official portraits, but Ruto has taken advantage of new technology in photography to design his.
And just like in the portraits of the past 12 presidents of the United States (US), including the current President Joe Biden, Ruto’s portrait has the Kenyan flag on the right-hand side.
The portrait, captured by the renowned South Sudanese photographer Emmanuel Jambo, made its debut on the official State House Twitter page immediately after Ruto was sworn in.
Portrait of former President Uhuru Kenyatta on sale. /FILE
