William Ruto
William Samoei arap Ruto (born 21 December 1966) is a Kenyan politician who is the 5th President of Kenya since 2022. He was the Deputy President of Kenya from 2013 to 2022.
William Ruto | |
|---|---|
 Ruto in 2023 | |
| 5th President of Kenya | |
| Assumed office 13 September 2022 | |
| Deputy | Rigathi Gachagua |
| Preceded by | Uhuru Kenyatta |
| Deputy President of Kenya | |
| In office 9 April 2013 – 13 September 2022 | |
| President | Uhuru Kenyatta |
| Preceded by | Kalonzo Musyoka (Vice President) |
| Succeeded by | Rigathi Gachagua |
| Minister for Higher Education | |
| In office 21 April 2010 – 19 October 2010 | |
| President | Mwai Kibaki |
| Prime Minister | Raila Odinga |
| Succeeded by | Hellen Jepkemoi Sambili (acting) |
| Minister of Agriculture | |
| In office 17 April 2008 – 21 April 2010 | |
| President | Mwai Kibaki |
| Prime Minister | Raila Odinga |
| Preceded by | Kipruto Rono Arap Kirwa |
| Succeeded by | Margret Nyambura |
| Minister of Home Affairs | |
| In office 30 August 2002 – December 2002 | |
| President | Daniel Toroitich arap Moi |
| Preceded by | George Saitoti |
| Succeeded by | Moody Awori |
| Member of Parliament for Eldoret North | |
| In office 1998–2013 | |
| Preceded by | Reuben Chesire |
| Succeeded by | Constituency abolished |
| Personal details | |
| Born | William Kipchirchir Samoei Arap Ruto 21 December 1966 Kamagut, Kenya |
| Political party | Kenya African National Union (before 2005) Orange Democratic Movement (2005–2011) United Republican Party (2012–2016) Jubilee Party (2016–2021) United Democratic Alliance (2021–present) |
| Spouse(s) | Rachel Chebet (m. 1991) |
| Children | 7 |
| Education | University of Nairobi (BSc, MSc, PhD) |
Before becoming Deputy President, he had many ministerial positions including the Ministry of Agriculture and Ministry of Higher Education. He was Secretary General of KANU, the former ruling political party. Ruto was a member of Parliament for Eldoret North Constituency between December 1997 and January 2013. He won the seat in the 1997 Kenyan election after defeating Reuben Chesire.
Ruto was charged with crimes including murder by the International Criminal Court. The trial has been ongoing since 10 September 2013.[1] The charges against him were dropped in 2016 due to lack of evidence by Fatou Bensouda.
On 12 April 2022, Kenya Kwanza political coalition endorsed Ruto as its presidential candidate for 2022 elections. He would win the election with 50.5% of the vote, beating former Prime Minister Raila Odinga in August 2022.[2]
William Ruto Media
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton (center) walks with Minister of Agriculture William Ruto (left) and environmental and political activist Wangari Maathai (right) during a tour of the Kenyan Agricultural Research Institute (KARI) near Nairobi, 5 August 2009.
Ruto with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2016
Presidential Standard of William Ruto
Ruto with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on 21 September 2022
Ruto at the 54th Regular Session of the IAEA General Conference
Order of the Golden Heart of Kenya
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References
- ↑ "Trial in the Ruto and Sang case: Relevant information and materials". International Criminal Court. Archived from the original on 22 August 2015. Retrieved 17 December 2015.
- ↑ "Kenya's deputy president Ruto declared election winner". AP NEWS. 2022-08-15. Retrieved 2022-08-15.