The Kenyan mother of Scotland's new leader has spoken after her son Humza Yousaf was appointed the head of the Scottish National Party. 

Humza Yousaf, the grandson of a Pakistani immigrant who arrived barely speaking English to work in a sewing machine factory in Glasgow, was named as the new leader of the Scottish National Party on Monday.

His mother Shaaista Bhutta, who was born into a South Asian family in Kenya, proudly spoke to Scottish TV STV expressing her joy at her son's political excellence despite being from a minority community. 

“It’s your son. He’s campaigning every day, working very hard and you just want everything to work out. Negative stuff is always hard to take, especially when there’s a lot of mudslinging against your son.

“The last few months have been nerve-wracking and now everything has come together and we are so relieved and really proud of him,” she said.

Bhutta also humorously teased that even after assuming the position of head of government, she will always view him as her son and even ‘clip’ him if he doesn’t listen to her.

“I’m still his mum. I’ll clip him around the ear if he doesn’t. But that’s just a joke. We are very, very proud of him and looking at the future we are very positive as well because of what he’ll bring to his leadership,” she said.

In his response on Twitter, 37-year old Yousaf also teased that he was not sure his mom was joking.

"I am not sure it was a joke! Can always count on my mum to keep me grounded, quite right too. Wouldn't be here if it wasn't for the love and support of my parents and family," he said.

Because of his party’s majority, Yousaf will almost certainly be chosen as first minister — the leader of Scotland — by the Parliament. 

At age 37, Yousaf would be the youngest first minister of Scotland and the first Muslim to run the nation. His mother, wearing a headscarf, dabbed a tear as he spoke after the vote results were announced.

His ascension as Scottish leader comes alongside the premiership of Rishi Sunak, a Hindu, whose parents are also South Asian and were actually immigrants from Kenya as well.

Yousaf will replace Nicola Sturgeon, who announced last month that she was standing down after more than eight years in the role, saying she no longer felt she could give the job her all.