Three hurdles William Ruto must overcome if he becomes our next president

Deputy President William Ruto during the declaration of presidential election results by the IEBC, Bomas of Kenya, Nairobi County. [Standard]

To become president-elect, William Samoei Ruto overcame some hurdles and still has others to surmount. He served three administrations as minister and deputy president and knows government. Politically resilient and calculating, he dethroned Reuben Chesire, a close friend of President Daniel arap Moi, to join Parliament in 1997 as a Kanu rebel. He showed that ability in the 2022 presidential campaign that was full of drama, surprises, and anguish. If the Supreme Court confirms him president, he should avoid the mistakes that presidents Moi, Mwai Kibaki and Uhuru Kenyatta made.

Before being declared president-elect, there was worrying drama and mystery. First, the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission, IEBC, used the 2017 Maina Kiai court decision that results announced at the polling station were final and binding and could be 'corrected' only by a court of law, to appear transparent.