Nairobi: A 15-year-old girl who scored a mean grade of 'A' plain of 84 points in the just-released Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) results wants to meet President William Ruto and his predecessor, Uhuru Kenyatta.
According to Kenya News Agency, Mercy Chari, an alumnus of Kenya High School, desires to thank the president for assisting her in joining the prestigious national school and to present the results she pledged to him in 2021 when Dr. Ruto served as Deputy President. Mercy also wishes to meet Mr. Kenyatta to remind him of a promise he made during the Mashujaa Day celebrations in 2016 in Machakos, where he vowed to build her a house in Nairobi City and support her after she performed a poem.
Mercy's connection with the leaders began in 2016 when she recited a poem to Dr. Ruto during his visit to Gongoni Ward. Aspiring to study medicine and surgery at Harvard University, Mercy was encouraged by Dr. Ruto to excel academically, with promises to facilitate her education at Kenya High School.
Dr. Ruto fulfilled Mercy's request to entertain then-President Kenyatta at the Mashujaa Day celebration, leading to further encouragement from Mr. Kenyatta to focus on her studies.
Initially admitted to Bahari Girls Secondary School in Kilifi County, Mercy transferred to her dream school, Kenya High School, in 2023, with President Ruto's support. She recalls a meeting at State House facilitated by former MP Harrison Kombe, where President Ruto ensured her transfer and paid her first term fees.
Scoring A (plain) in seven subjects and an A (minus) in one, Mercy attributes her success to the encouragement received from the two leaders. Her ambition is to become a medical doctor due to her interest in biology and desire to help others medically.
Her parents, Solomon and Mary Kisagi, expressed gratitude for her performance and urged the leaders to fulfill their pledges, aiding Mercy in achieving her aspirations.