William Ruto

William Ruto is the fifth President of Kenya, having taken office in September 2022. He is a Kenyan politician who previously served as Deputy President under Uhuru Kenyatta from 2013 to 2022. Ruto rose to the presidency after a closely contested election, campaigning on a platform focused on economic empowerment for ordinary Kenyans, which he termed the "hustler nation" narrative. His path to the presidency included serving as a member of Parliament for Eldoret North and holding the position of Minister for Agriculture and Minister for Higher Education in earlier governments. Ruto's administration has emphasised economic transformation, digital innovation and engagement with international financial institutions to address Kenya's debt challenges and development needs. He has positioned himself as a champion of bottom-up economic policies aimed at supporting small businesses and entrepreneurs. His presidency has been marked by efforts to navigate Kenya's fiscal pressures, including negotiations with the International Monetary Fund and World Bank. Ruto's leadership occurs at a time when Kenya faces significant economic headwinds, including high public debt, inflation and youth unemployment. He has also sought to maintain Kenya's role as a regional diplomatic and economic hub in East Africa. Before entering politics, Ruto worked as a teacher and built a business portfolio, which he has cited as informing his pro-business policy stance.