William Ruto

Who is William Ruto?

William Kipchirchir Samoei arap Ruto is a Kenyan politician and the first Deputy President of Kenya. He was sworn in on 9 April 2013. He was the running mate in the successful Jubilee coalition ticket led by President Uhuru Kenyatta during the 2013 general elections. He is currently an accused suspect, by the International Criminal Court for committing crimes against humanity. On 19 October 2010, he was suspended by the government on corruption charges. He had previously served in the Ministry of Agriculture since April 2008. Ruto was elected Director of Elections on 18 March 2002, when the National Development Party led by Raila Odinga merged with the Kenya African National Union. He was Secretary General of KANU, the former ruling political party, and he has been MP for Eldoret North Constituency since the 1997 Kenyan election a seat he won after trouncing the former M.P. The Late Hon. Rueben Chesire. He became an Assistant Minister in the Office of the President and was appointed Minister in charge of Home Affairs in August 2002 but lost the post after the December 2002 election, in which Kenya African National Union lost to the National Rainbow Coalition coalition. He also previously served as the Chairman of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Constitutional Reform in the 9th Parliament.