On August 8, 2026, President William Ruto and First Lady Rachel Ruto held the engagement and farewell ceremony (Koito) for their daughter, Charlene Ruto, and Tanzanian entrepreneur Isaya Yunge.
Among the guests at the ceremony were Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale, Interior CS Kipchumba Murkomen, his Water counterpart Eric Mugaa, Githunguri Member of Parliament Gathoni Wamuchomba, Bomet Senator Hilary Sigei, and Bomet Women Rep Linet Toto.
Isaya Yunge is a Tanzanian entrepreneur, technology advocate and social impact leader whose work focuses on education, youth empowerment and digital innovation.
Early Life
His early life was marked by challenges, having been raised by his grandmother and moving between foster families during his childhood.
While in secondary school, he also worked to support himself financially.
Despite these hardships, Yunge developed a strong interest in leadership from an early age.
He served as head prefect at Taqwa High School in Mwanza before later becoming chairperson of the Junior Council of the United Republic of Tanzania.
Isaya Yunge Career Background
Isaya Yunge currently serves as Chairman of the SOMAPP Foundation, a position he has held since 2020. He focuses on expanding access to education through scholarships and skills-based online resources for young people.
He has also served as Chief Entrepreneur at GOODSAM Technologies since 2019, where his responsibilities include business and product development.
Yunge was Co-Founder and CEO of Smart Kaya, a technology venture focused on smart home technology.
He previously served as Director and CEO of SPEKI Technologies from January 2022 to July 2023, where he focused on business growth, innovation, and organizational transformation.
Between 2016 and 2019, he served as CEO of SOMAAPPS Technologies, which developed SomaApp, a scholarship-matching platform connecting students with domestic and international scholarship opportunities.
Earlier, Yunge served as Prime Minister of the Institute of Finance Management Students Organization from 2014 to 2015, overseeing student government operations and cabinet affairs.
His leadership career began at a young age. From 2006 to 2007, he served as Chairperson of the Junior Council of the United Republic of Tanzania, representing children in national and international forums and supporting initiatives focused on child participation.
From 2007 to 2008, Yunge served as a UNICEF African Youth Ambassador, advocating for children’s rights, climate change initiatives, HIV/AIDS awareness and youth participation in decision-making. He also participated in G8 meetings as a representative of African youth in 2007.
Educational Background
Yunge studied Leading Change in Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the University of Cambridge between 2018 and 2019, through a programme designed to develop leadership and entrepreneurship skills among Queen’s Young Leaders.
In 2017, he undertook studies in Economic Diplomacy at the Center for Foreign Relations and Digital Money at The Fletcher School at Tufts University.
Isaya Yunge earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Insurance and Risk Management from the Institute of Finance Management between 2012 and 2015.
He completed his Advanced Certificate of Secondary Education at Taqwa High School in Mwanza, Tanzania, between 2010 and 2012, where he served as head prefect.
Yunge became an Ashoka Fellow in 2019 in recognition of his work connecting underprivileged African students to advanced-level education through new funding opportunities.
He is also an Associate Fellow of the Royal Commonwealth Society and received the Queen’s Young Leaders Award in 2018 for using mobile technology to help young people access education opportunities.
Achievements
His achievements include being selected as a UNICEF Africa Youth Ambassador and speaking at the G8 Summit in Germany at the age of 17.
In 2017, SomaApp won the GSMA Mobile Money Africa Hackathon award for best startup in Africa.
Yunge was recognized by Forbes Africa among its 30 Under 30 and was named among Tanzania’s 50 Most Influential Young Tanzanians in 2019.
He has also received recognition for his work promoting technology, entrepreneurship and innovative solutions to social challenges across Africa.
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