William Ruto Biography
William Samoei Ruto was born in the Kamagut Province of Sambut village in what is now Uasin Gishu County, Kenya on 21st December 1966. As of 2026, he is 59 years old. Ruto was born to parents Daniel and Sarah Cheruiyot, and has spoken often of his humble beginnings, such as selling chickens and peanuts along the road and shod with only a single pair of shoes for many years.
William Ruto Education
He completed his primary education from Kerotet Primary school, secondary education from Wareng secondary school and high school education from Kapsabet boys high school. University Degrees: He attended the University of Nairobi where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree with a major in botany and zoology in 1990.
He went back to the University of Nairobi to undertake postgraduate studies and earned a Master of Science (M.S.) in plant ecology in 2011 and Ph.D. in plant ecology in 2018.
William Ruto Political Career and Presidency
Early Entry (1992): Ruto became a part of political career in the early 1992 general elections when he formed Youth for KANU ’92 (YK92), a strong lobby group which campaigned for President Daniel Arap Moi.
Parliament and Ministerial Roles: He represented Eldoret North in Parliament in 1997, during which time he served as a Minister. Throughout the years, he served in various important Cabinet positions such as Minister for Home Affairs (2002), Minister for Agriculture (2008-2010), and Minister for Higher Education, Science, and Technology (2010-2011).
Elected Deputy President under the 2010 Constitution, Deputy Presidency (2013-2022): Ruto ran for office in the 2013 election, alongside Uhuru Kenyatta under the Jubilee Alliance to become Kenya’s first elected Deputy President under the 2010 Constitution.
He was a two-term incumbent in this office. The Presidency (2022–Present): Ruto’s campaign was for the ordinary working class under the banner of the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) and Kenya Kwanza Alliance, with the campaign slogan “hustler”. Elected in a tightly contested general election in 2022 and subsequently sworn in as the fifth President of the Republic of Kenya on 13th September 2022.
William Family Life
Ruto wed Rachel Chebet in 1991 and they have six children. He also has a daughter from another relationship with Prisca Chemutai Bett.
William Net worth
Ruto was an adult when he started a sizeable business portfolio, in addition to his political career. His private ventures include real estate, agriculture, hospitality, and big poultry industries.
His overall wealth has been estimated by different financial trackers with varying political estimates, but his estimated patrimony of KSh 67 billion from the domestic wealth trackers makes him one of the most visible business-oriented political players in the country.
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