Teenage gymnast Wendy Waeni, who has relocated to China, has hailed President William Ruto for his kind gesture when he surprised her at her training ground in Huruma.
In an appreciation post replete with photographs of the two, Waeni noted that Ruto in 2015, then the country's Deputy President, made the unexpected visit to surprise her.
"The first thing he told me was 'I saw you on TV and I decided to visit you.' The rest is history, always supported my Journey," the 18-year-old recalled hinting that the President has supported her career ever since.
Waeni rose to global stardom during her teenage years through her gymanstic talent that saw her perform for world leaders among them former President Uhuru Kenyatta.
In a 2019 interview on Citizen TV, Waeni noted that she performed for Paul Kagame (Rwanda), Yoweri Museveni (Uganda), John Mahama (Ghana Rtd), as well as former German Chancellor Angela Markel.
“The first president I met was President Uhuru Kenyatta, on Jamuhuri Day. To greet the president felt so nice and I was just about to cry because I had never dreamt of greeting him.” she remarked.
Her story, however, piqued the interest of Kenyans after she claimed that her manager at the time was stealing from her, condemning her mother to a life of struggle.
The lid was first lifted by her mother, Magdaline Syombua, who argued that Waeni's manager had swindled the family. Following the revelation, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) swooped in to investigate the matter.
In her interview, the gymnast complained that she was still living in Huruma despite traversing the globe and that her mother had to put in more hours in her job as a hawker to make ends meet.
Her disclosures resulted in the apprehension of her manager following investigations by the DCI, which subsequently presented the case file to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP).
During that period, the manager faced allegations of fabricating a letter claiming to be from the then Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang'i, and issuing threats to Waeni’s mother.
The suspect, however, denied the claims and was released in September 2019.
Relocation to China
Recently, Waeni revealed that she had since relocated to China to pursue her love for gymnastics as well as secure better paying jobs.
She also runs a YouTube channel where she showcases her travels across the Asian country. As part of her excursions, she has been to Shenzen and numerous Chinese cities.
While in Kenya, Waeni was at some point appointed as the Inspirational & Enthusiastic Young Champion Ambassador by the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF).
