Who Is Isaya Yunge? Meet Tanzanian Tech Entrepreneur Set to Marry Charlene Ruto

Isaya Yunge, a Tanzanian technology entrepreneur and social innovator, is set to marry Charlene Ruto, daughter of President William Ruto, in a traditional ceremony in Kilgoris, Narok County, on Saturday, August 8, 2026.

Yunge has built a name for himself in technology and youth empowerment, particularly through initiatives that use digital platforms to expand access to education and opportunities.

Yunge has combined technology entrepreneurship with social-impact initiatives throughout his career, particularly those focused on education and opportunities for young Africans.

In addition, he has earned international recognition for developing digital solutions that address challenges affecting communities across the continent.

However, Yunge’s journey to technology entrepreneurship began with a difficult childhood that shaped his determination to create opportunities for disadvantaged young people.

Yunge’s Early Life

Born on March 23, 1990, Yunge grew up in Tanzania and experienced significant challenges during his formative years. His parents never married, while he spent parts of his childhood living with his grandmother and different foster families.

During those years, Yunge worked on farms and herded livestock while pursuing his education and supporting himself. By his second year of secondary school, he had started living independently and working to meet his daily needs.

Consequently, those experiences gave Yunge first-hand knowledge of the challenges facing young people without stable support systems.

He later channelled that understanding into initiatives designed to improve education access and create opportunities for disadvantaged youth.

Before becoming a technology entrepreneur, Yunge established himself as a youth advocate while still a teenager.

In 2007, at just 17, he participated in the Junior 8 process and addressed the G8 Summit in Berlin, Germany.

Through that experience, Yunge gained an international platform to discuss children’s rights, development and challenges affecting young people.

He also became involved in radio initiatives that gave vulnerable children opportunities to share their experiences.

As a result, his early advocacy work shaped his later approach to social entrepreneurship and technology. He eventually turned that interest toward digital solutions that could connect young people with education and other opportunities.

A collage photo of Isaya Yunge, man set to Marry Charlene Ruto. Photo/ Daily Post.

Yunge’s interest in technology deepened in 2014 after he attended a lecture by economist Jeremy Rifkin. The lecture examined the Fourth Industrial Revolution, the sharing economy and collaborative commons, influencing Yunge’s understanding of technology’s potential.

After the lecture, Yunge began exploring how digital innovation could address challenges affecting African communities. He subsequently moved deeper into technology entrepreneurship while focusing on education, youth empowerment and access to opportunities.

That journey eventually led to the creation of SomaApp, which became one of his most recognised technology ventures.

Through the platform, Yunge combined his interest in technology with his longstanding commitment to education access.

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SomaApp and Scholarship Opportunities

Yunge founded SomaApps Technologies, the company behind SomaApp, to help students find scholarship opportunities locally and internationally.

He developed the idea after noticing that many eligible students missed scholarships because they lacked information about available opportunities.

SomaApp brings scholarship information together and helps students identify programmes that match their educational qualifications and ambitions.

Reports have credited the platform with connecting more than 7,000 Africans with scholarship opportunities abroad.

Consequently, the platform strengthened Yunge’s reputation as a social-impact entrepreneur using technology to address educational barriers.

It also provided the foundation for several of the international recognitions he later received.

In 2018, Forbes Africa included Yunge among its 30 Under 30 technology entrepreneurs, recognising his work with SomaApps Technologies.

At 28, he appeared among young African innovators developing technology-driven solutions for challenges affecting their communities.

The recognition significantly raised his profile within Africa’s technology and entrepreneurship sector. Moreover, it came during a period when Yunge was receiving growing international attention for combining technology with social impact.

That same year, Yunge achieved another major milestone when he received the Queen’s Young Leaders Award. Together, the two recognitions established 2018 as a particularly significant year in his entrepreneurial journey.

A collage photo of Isaya Yunge, a Tanzanian entrepreneur set to Marry Charlene Ruto. PHOTO/ Yueng Ji Facebook

Queen’s Young Leaders Award

In 2018, Yunge received the Queen’s Young Leaders Award for his work using technology to expand opportunities for young people. Queen Elizabeth II presented the award during a ceremony in the United Kingdom.

The honour recognised Yunge’s efforts around education access and technology-driven social impact.

Furthermore, the programme connected him with other young leaders from Commonwealth countries and provided additional leadership-development opportunities.

Following the award, Yunge participated in the Leading Change programme associated with the University of Cambridge. He later continued developing his leadership and entrepreneurship skills through other international programmes.

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Ashoka Fellowship and Other Recognition

In 2019, Ashoka selected Yunge as a Fellow for his work connecting disadvantaged young people with education opportunities.

The fellowship recognised his efforts to use technology and entrepreneurship to address barriers affecting students.

Later that year, Avance Media included Yunge among the 50 Most Influential Young Tanzanians. The recognition further highlighted his growing influence within Tanzania’s technology, entrepreneurship and youth-development sectors.

Together, these achievements strengthened Yunge’s reputation as an entrepreneur who combines technological innovation with social impact. They also demonstrated the international reach of his work beyond Tanzania.

Although SomaApp remains one of Yunge’s best-known projects, his entrepreneurial interests extend into several other areas of technology.

He has explored artificial intelligence, mobile applications, Internet of Things solutions and smart-home technologies.

Yunge is also associated with Smart Kaya, a technology venture focused on developing smart-home solutions for African consumers. Through his involvement in the company, he has promoted connected technologies designed for African markets.

Additionally, Yunge has pursued other technology ventures that reflect his broader interest in digital innovation and entrepreneurship.

His work continues to focus on adapting emerging technologies to practical challenges affecting communities across Africa.

Education and Leadership Development

Yunge studied at the Institute of Finance Management in Tanzania before pursuing additional international leadership and professional development opportunities.

He later expanded his training through programmes focused on entrepreneurship, leadership and sustainable business models.

He received training in sustainable business models through the Swedish Institute and participated in the Leading Change programme associated with Cambridge. He also became an alumnus of the Harvard Ministerial Leadership Program.

Through these programmes, Yunge strengthened his leadership skills while expanding his understanding of entrepreneurship and development.

His professional training has complemented his practical experience across technology, education and social innovation.

Despite his international professional profile, Yunge has generally maintained privacy around his personal life. Therefore, his reported relationship with Charlene Ruto has attracted considerable attention as preparations for their traditional ceremony emerged.

Meanwhile, Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan is reportedly among the dignitaries expected to attend the ceremony.

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A collage photo of Isaya Yunge, a Tanzanian entrepreneur set to Marry Charlene Ruto. PHOTO/ Isaya Yunge LinkedIn