William Ruto
Who was William Ruto?
Fifth President of Kenya since 2022 and former Deputy President who won office on an economic platform focused on small businesses and agriculture.
Biographical data adapted from Wikipedia’s article on William Ruto (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Biography
William Kipchirchir Samoei Arap Ruto was born on December 21, 1966, in Kamagut, Kenya. He studied at Kapsabet High School and then at the University of Nairobi, where he gained the academic background that later supported his political career. Ruto is married to Rachel Ruto, and they have a family. He has maneuvered through the complex world of Kenyan politics.
Ruto's political journey started in 1997 when he was elected as a Member of Parliament for the Eldoret North constituency with the Kenya African National Union (KANU) party. He served in this role until 2007, showing early political skill that would define his rise to greater national importance. During Daniel arap Moi's time in office, Ruto briefly served as Minister for Home Affairs from August to December 2002, marking his first cabinet-level position.
After the government changed, Ruto held important ministerial roles under President Mwai Kibaki. He was the Minister for Agriculture from 2008 to 2010, a job that aligned with his later focus on agricultural development in his presidential campaign. He then served as Minister for Higher Education from April to October 2010. During this time, Ruto also changed political affiliations, joining the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) and representing Eldoret North from 2007 to 2013.
In 2013, Ruto's political path took a significant turn when he teamed up with Uhuru Kenyatta to form a winning presidential ticket. He initially planned to run for president in the 2013 election but decided to become Kenyatta's running mate under the United Republican Party. This move was successful, and Ruto became Kenya's first elected Deputy President, a role he held from 2013 to 2022. He was re-elected in 2017 under the Jubilee Party.
The 2022 presidential election was the peak of Ruto's political ambitions. Despite a fallout with President Kenyatta, who supported opposition candidate Raila Odinga, Ruto successfully campaigned for the presidency under the United Democratic Alliance (UDA). His campaign focused on economic support for small businesses and agricultural development, appealing to Kenya's large rural and working-class populations. On September 13, 2022, he was sworn in as Kenya's fifth President. The Supreme Court upheld the election results despite challenges from opposition parties claiming electoral issues.
Before Fame
Growing up in Kamagut, Ruto saw the challenges of rural life in Kenya during a time of significant political and social change. His education took him from Kapsabet High School to the University of Nairobi in the 1980s and early 1990s, when Kenya was moving from one-party rule under Daniel arap Moi to a multi-party system. This crucial time gave him an understanding of the political and economic issues that influenced his later policies and political views.
Ruto started his political career in the 1990s, just as Kenya was embracing democracy and more competitive elections. He first won the Eldoret North parliamentary seat in 1997, showing his skill in connecting with voters and handling the politics of the Rift Valley area, which would remain a key part of his political support throughout his career.
Key Achievements
- Elected as Kenya's fifth President in 2022
- Served as Kenya's first elected Deputy President from 2013 to 2022
- Represented Eldoret North constituency in Parliament for 16 years (1997-2013)
- Held three different cabinet ministerial positions under two different presidents
- Successfully formed the United Democratic Alliance and built a winning political coalition
Did You Know?
- 01.He was the youngest cabinet minister in Kenya's history when appointed as Minister for Home Affairs at age 35 in 2002
- 02.Ruto initially supported Raila Odinga's presidential campaign in 2007 after losing in the ODM party primaries
- 03.He switched political parties multiple times during his career, moving from KANU to ODM to URP and finally to UDA
- 04.The 2022 presidential election he won was decided by a margin of approximately 233,000 votes out of over 14 million cast
- 05.He became Deputy President under Kenya's new constitution, making him the first person to hold this specific elected position