William Ruto

William Samoei Ruto

William Samoei Ruto is a Kenyan politician who has served as President of the Republic of Kenya since September 2022. His national political career has also included service as Deputy President, Member of Parliament for Eldoret North and a cabinet minister.

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About William Ruto

Profile information current to 2026-08-22.

Kenya · Politician, President of Kenya · 5 affiliations

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Known for: Kenyan national politics and public administration; Kenya's 2022 presidential election
Country: Kenya

Politician
President of Kenya

At a glance

Ruto has served as President of the Republic of Kenya and Commander-in-Chief of the Defence Forces since 13 September 2022.
Before becoming president, he represented Eldoret North in Parliament, held cabinet posts and served as Deputy President from 2013 to 2022.
The electoral commission recorded Ruto as winning the 2022 presidential election with 7,176,141 votes, or 50.49 percent, and the Supreme Court subsequently upheld his election.
He earned a BSc in Botany and Zoology and later a PhD in Plant Ecology from the University of Nairobi.
Ruto and Joshua Arap Sang faced crimes-against-humanity charges at the International Criminal Court in connection with Kenya's 2007–2008 post-election violence; the trial chamber terminated the case and vacated the charges in April 2016.

Background and education

Ruto was born on 21 December 1966 in Sambut village, Kamagut, in Kenya's Uasin Gishu County. He graduated from the University of Nairobi with a BSc in Botany and Zoology in 1990 and completed a PhD in Plant Ecology there in December 2018. Official sources disagree over whether he completed his MSc in Plant Ecology in 2008 or 2011, so that year is not presented as settled.

Parliament, cabinet and the deputy presidency

Ruto was first elected Member of Parliament for Eldoret North on a Kenya African National Union ticket in 1997 and served three terms through 2013. His cabinet career included service as Minister for Agriculture from 2008 and later as Minister for Higher Education, Science and Technology. He became Deputy President of Kenya in 2013 and remained in that office until 2022.

Election and presidency

In Kenya's presidential election of 9 August 2022, the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission recorded 7,176,141 votes, or 50.49 percent, for Ruto. The Supreme Court upheld his election in consolidated presidential-election petitions on 5 September, and he was sworn in as President of the Republic of Kenya on 13 September 2022. Official Kenyan government materials available in 2026 continued to identify him as president and Commander-in-Chief of the Defence Forces.

International Criminal Court proceedings

Ruto and Joshua Arap Sang faced three charges of crimes against humanity at the International Criminal Court over alleged conduct associated with Kenya's 2007–2008 post-election violence. On 5 April 2016, the ICC trial chamber terminated the case and vacated the charges.

Affiliations

Office of the President, Republic of Kenya President of the Republic of Kenya and Commander-in-Chief of the Defence Forces 2022-09-13–present
Republic of Kenya Deputy President 2013–2022
Parliament of Kenya Member of Parliament for Eldoret North 1997–2013
Ministry of Agriculture, Kenya Minister for Agriculture 2008
Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology, Kenya Minister

Timeline

1966-12-21 Born in Sambut village, Kamagut, Uasin Gishu County, Kenya.
1990 Graduated from the University of Nairobi with a BSc in Botany and Zoology.
1997 First elected Member of Parliament for Eldoret North on a Kenya African National Union ticket.
2008 Appointed Minister for Agriculture in Kenya's coalition government.
2013 Began service as Deputy President of Kenya.
2016-04-05 The ICC trial chamber terminated the Ruto and Sang case and vacated the charges.
2018-12 Completed a PhD in Plant Ecology at the University of Nairobi.
2022-08-09 Won Kenya's presidential election; the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission recorded 7,176,141 votes, or 50.49 percent, for Ruto.
2022-09-05 The Supreme Court of Kenya upheld Ruto's election as president-elect in consolidated presidential-election petitions.
2022-09-13 Sworn in as President of the Republic of Kenya.

Additional verified details

Current context

William Samoei Ruto is identified in official Kenyan government materials as President of the Republic of Kenya and Commander-in-Chief of the Defence Forces. Current status is based on official Kenyan Presidency materials available in 2026, including a presidential statement dated 12 May 2026.

Biographical facts

William Samoei Ruto was born on 21 December 1966 in Sambut village, Kamagut, Uasin Gishu County, Kenya.
Ruto was first elected Member of Parliament for Eldoret North on a Kenya African National Union ticket in 1997 and served three terms through 2013.
Ruto served as Minister for Agriculture beginning in 2008 and later as Minister for Higher Education, Science and Technology.
Ruto earned a BSc in Botany and Zoology from the University of Nairobi in 1990 and completed a PhD in Plant Ecology at the university in December 2018.
In an International Criminal Court case concerning Kenya's 2007–2008 post-election violence, Ruto and Joshua Arap Sang faced three charges of crimes against humanity alleged to have been committed in that context. On 5 April 2016, the ICC trial chamber terminated the case and vacated the charges.