Biography

William Ruto: Biography, Education, Career, Wife, Children and Controversies

Published

2 years ago

2022/08/16

Sub-editor

By Balogun Kamilu Lekan

Biography

William Kipchirchir Samoei Arap Ruto is a Kenyan Politician and the president-elect of the country at the just concluded August 9 election in the country.

Ruto was born in Sambut village to Daniel Cheruiyot and Sarah Cheruiyot on December 21, 1966.

Education

Ruto attended Kerotet Primary School for his elementary education before proceeding to. Wareng Secondary School, and later Kapsabet Boys High School for his secondary education.

After his primary and secondary education, Ruto headed to the University of Nairobi, where he bagged a bachelor’s degree in Botany and Zoology in 1990 before going further to bag a master’s and doctorate degree from the same university in 2011 and 2018 respectively.

Career [Political and Non-political]

During his university days, Ruto worked as a teacher in the North Rift region of Kenya, where he was also the leader of the local African Inland Church Choir.

Ruto first met President Daniel Arap Moi through his church leadership work at the University of Nairobi. He was fully introduced to Kenyan politics during the 1992 general elections, where he served as the Treasurer of the YK’92, a campaign group for the reelection of President Moi.

William Ruto’s residence. PHOTO Credit: The Standard

Ruto played a vital role during this period, and he learned the nitty-gritty of Kenyan politics through the process.

In 1998, Ruto was elected into Parliament before heading to serve as the country’s Minister of Home Affairs in 2002, a position which he occupied for five months.

In January 2006, Ruto declared his desire to run for president in the 2007 Kenyan general election. According to reports, some of his colleagues, notably former President Moi, reacted negatively to this. But when Mwai Kibaki formed the Cabinet in 2008 after winning the election amid contentious political conflicts, Ruto was named the Minister for Agriculture.

From 2008 to 2013, Ruto became Eldoret North’s Member of Parliament.

Ruto was chosen as President Uhuru Kenyatta’s vice president in the 2013 presidential election and held the position till 2022. Between October 5 and October 8, 2014, he presided over Kenya while President Kenyatta was away at the Hague.

After serving as the deputy president of Kenya for 10 years, Ruto decided to vie for the presidency again after falling out with the incumbent president, who weighed his support for Raila Odinga, the opposition.

**William Ruto and his daughter June**. PHOTO Credit: The Standard

The election, which was a tight race between Ruto and Odinga, ended in a victory for Ruto.

Ruto claimed he ran in the election as an outsider, stating the election was between the “hustlers” – poor Kenyans – and “dynasties” – influential families like the Kenyattas and Odingas—who have been in the realm of affairs of the country since its independence.

“I may be the son of a nobody, but I promise to make Kenya the country of everybody.” This was the statement of Ruto during his campaign.

According to the election result, Ruto garnered 50.49 per cent of the vote, narrowly defeating Raila Odinga, a seasoned opposition leader and former prime minister, who was running in his fifth election,

Supporters of Mr Odinga have staged protests around Kenya after the election results were announced.

Wife and children

Ruto is married to Rachel Chebet, and the union is blessed with seven children namely:

Nick Ruto
June Ruto
Charlene Ruto
Stephanie Ruto
George Ruto
Nadia Cherop Ruto
Abby Ruto

One of his daughters, June Ruto, recently married a Nigerian, Dr Alexander Ezanagu, in Karen, Nairobi, where they both reside.

**Ruto, and his wife Rachel dance at daughter’s engagement**. PHOTO Credit: Standard Kenya.

Achievements

Aside from politics, Ruto is also an accomplished author. Several papers and journals are credited to his name.

“Plant Species Diversity and Composition of Two Wetlands in the Nairobi National Park, Kenya” is one of the titles of his prominent papers.

Net Worth

An online report said that Ruto’s net worth is estimated to be about $400 million with most of his wealth coming from politics and other activities like farming.

He reportedly owns an expensive farm in Sugoi.

Additionally, he is a shareholder in other real estate projects. He receives large interest payments from AMACO, an insurance firm.

Controversy

Ruto’s journey has not escaped being caught up in the web of a series of controversies.

He has been embroiled in a land-grab scandal regarding the inexplicable acquisition of hotel property by the Weston, which has pitted him against public denials from various Kenyan governmental corporations and the land’s original owner.

Ruto was detained in 2004 and put on trial for allegedly robbing the Kenya Pipeline Company (KPC) of substantial sums of money through shady land deals, but he has since been released on bail.

After the 2007-2008 election that was marred by violence, the International Criminal Court summoned Ruto for his alleged involvement in planning and organizing crimes against supporters of President Kibaki’s Party of National Unity. He was accused of three counts of crimes against humanity, including murder, forced population transfers, and persecution.

In 2016, Ruto was accused of killing Jacob Juma, a wealthy businessman, an anticorruption crusader, and a keen critic of the government.

Aside from Juma, Ruto has also been found in a pool of accusations of the murder of several other media, activists, politicians, and opposition figures in Kenya.

Ruto has also been accused of getting his wealth through corrupt means.

He has, however, denied all accusations against him.