09/08/2026
Isaya (Isaiah) Yunge is a prominent 34-year-old Tanzanian tech entrepreneur, innovator, and youth advocate. He made national headlines after engaging Charlene Ruto—the daughter of Kenya's President William Ruto—during a colorful traditional Kalenjin engagement ceremony called Koito ak Chaik at Intonna Heritage Farm in Kilgoris, Narok County. Despite his high-profile engagement, Yunge built his reputation as a tech pioneer who rose from humble beginnings in Tanzania to earning international honors.
​Growing up in rural Tanzania, Yunge was raised by his grandmother, spending his childhood herding cattle and working on rice farms. He went on to study at the Institute of Finance Management in Tanzania and later pursued studies in leadership at the University of Cambridge. Driven to solve real problems using technology, he co-founded SomaApps Technologies, creating a mobile app called SomaApp that matches African students with local and global scholarship opportunities so fewer education funds go unused.
​Over the years, Yunge expanded his ventures to include smart speakers and health-tracking smartwatches, earning him a spot on Forbes Africa's 30 Under 30 list and receiving the Queen's Young Leaders Award from Queen Elizabeth II in 2018.
His engagement to Charlene Ruto brings together two young African leaders focused on social impact, youth empowerment, and innovation. Their traditional ceremony brought together leaders and family from both Kenya and Tanzania, setting the stage for their upcoming wedding.
