The High Court has stepped in to stop the Standard Group from continuing to link President William Ruto’s daughter, Charlene Ruto, to a controversial KSh2.8 billion police uniform tender.
The High Court has temporarily barred the Standard Group from republishing, distributing or circulating reports linking Charlene Ruto to the Kenya Police Service uniform tender.
The orders followed a case filed by Charlene over articles published by The Standard on August 30, 2026, including a front-page story titled THE TRAIL and another report that allegedly connected her to the KSh2.8 billion police uniform procurement.
Charlene told the court that the reports created the impression that she had participated in the procurement process, supplied goods under the tender or benefited from the deal.
She has disputed the allegations and moved to court seeking protection against what she considers defamatory reporting.
The controversy centres on the procurement of police uniforms and claims contained in the publications concerning individuals and companies allegedly connected to the tender.
The High Court’s orders temporarily prevent the Standard Group from continuing to publish or distribute the specific reports linking Charlene to the procurement as the case proceeds.
The development has attracted public attention because of Charlene’s position as the President’s daughter and the wider scrutiny surrounding government tenders and procurement processes.
However, the temporary orders do not constitute a final determination of the allegations. The court is yet to conclusively establish whether the reports were defamatory or whether the claims contained in them were legally justified.
The case will now proceed as both sides present their arguments before the court.
The matter comes amid continued public debate over government procurement, accountability and the role of individuals with perceived connections to political power.
