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Deputy President William Ruto during the declaration of presidential election results by the IEBC, Bomas of Kenya, Nairobi County. [File]
William Ruto's father-in-law Samuel Kimetto has said he is ready to lead elders in praying for the President-Elect in State House, after his swearing-in.
Speaking yesterday after the Supreme Court upheld Ruto's win in the August Presidential election, Mr Kimetto said his son-in-law proved to the world that it was possible to rise from a humble background to the country's top echelons of power.
"It has been a long journey for my son-in-law, and the best thing I can do for him is to lead elders in blessing him at the State House. I have been confident that he won the elections fairly," Mr Kimetto said at his home in Sugoi, Uasin Gishu County.
Mr Kimetto, 87, described Ruto as a generous son-in-law, who has been seeking his advice since 1992, when he married his daughter, Rachael.
The President-Elect and his father-in-law live about three kilometres apart in Sugoi, an area within Turbo constituency.
Mr Kimetto asked Kenyans to respect Azimio one Kenya leader Raila Odinga said he is one of the country's eminent elders and has earned a place in the country's history.
"Ruto is our fifth President, but this should not make us disrespect Raila because he took him to the Supreme Court. We are a people who respect our leaders regardless of their political divide," said Mr Kimetto.
He said President-Elect, Ruto is a generous man who has been taking part in fundraising activities since 1992 when he started campaigning for the then President Daniel arap Moi.
"Ruto came to my farm and sought to help where necessary. I told him I needed a store and workers' houses, and he gladly supported me. He has helped in raising funds for several community projects, and it is not by chance that Kenyans have trusted him with the Presidency," said Kimetto.
He continued: "I can now sleep like a baby. We had started celebrating when he was declared President-elect by the IEBC, but we paused when the win was challenged."
Mr Kimetto helped Ruto secure land in his Sugoi neighbourhood in the mid-1990s, making the President-elect move from Kamagut to his current rural residence.
"I am lucky because we are neighbours. He asked me to help him secure land to purchase and luckily, there were a group of people selling and Ruto bought the property," he recalled.
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