Home » William Ruto makes history by winning presidency on first attempt

William Ruto makes history by winning presidency on first attempt

by Enock Ndayala

Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) chairman Wafula Chebukati has declared Kenya Kwanza Alliance presidential candidate William Ruto as the fifth president-elect.

Ruto, who was giving his first attempt at the country’s top seat on a United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party, defied all odds to emerge the winner after garnering 7,176, 141 votes which translate to 50.49 percent of the total votes cast in Tuesday, August 9, General Election.

His closest challenger Raila Odinga of the Azimio la Umoja One Kenya coalition party polled 6, 942,930 votes to emerge second translating to 48.85 percent.

The former Prime Minister, who was President Uhuru Kenyatta’s favorite candidate, was vying for the presidency for a record fifth time.

William Ruto’s entry into politics can be dated back to 1992 when he joined the independence party Kenya African National Union (KANU) youth wing Y-K92 to champion the re-election of late President Daniel Moi.

He was then elected MP for the then Eldoret North constituency in the 1997 general Election, a seat he held until 2013 when he was elected jointly with President Uhuru Kenyatta.

He has served in the cabinet of both late presidents Daniel Moi and Mwai Kibaki’s government holding portfolios like the ministry of education as well as agriculture.

His predecessor President Uhuru Kenyatta unsuccessfully vied for the presidency in the 2002 General election before making it in the 2013 General Election.

Before then, late Mwai Kibaki unsuccessfully vied for the presidency twice (1992 and 1997) before succeeding in the 2002 General Election.

But for Ruto, he succeeded with his first attempt in what many will attribute to his intensive campaigns and never-tiring personality.

In his acceptance speech, the deputy president thanked God and the millions of Kenyans who endorsed his first presidential bid

“I want to thank God that today we have concluded this election. I know there were predictions that I won’t get here, but because there is God in heaven we are here,” Ruto said.

Ruto’s victory was announced even as 4 out of the 6 commissioners of Independent Elections and Boundaries (IEBC) poked holes in the results announced by IEBC chairman Wafula Chebukati.

“We cannot take ownership of the results that is going to be announced because of the opaque nature of this last phase of this process (presidential election),” said IEBC Vice Chair Juliana Cherera

she spoke at Serena hotel Nairobi moments before the winner of the presidential election was announced by IEBC chairman Wafula Chebukati.

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