William Ruto - The African Mirror

Sep

2022

William Ruto vs Kenya’s media: democracy is at stake

GEORGE OGOLA, Reader in Journalism, University of Central Lancashire IT'S a long-standing Kenyan tradition to offer congratulations in paid print and TV messages to an incoming president. The bulk of these messages are put out by government agencies – and county governments in recent years – but also private commercial corporations. This year, however, the newly elected president William Ruto would have none of this. A day before his swearing-in, Ruto made it known that he did not wish to see national or county government money spent on these messages. The Ministry of Devolution said they were expensive and risk…

Aug

2022

By The African Mirror

Uhuru Kenyatta and Kenya’s media: a bitter-sweet affair that didn’t end happily

MEDIA FREEDOM

PRESIDENT Uhuru Kenyatta’s regime came into power in 2013. It was the first to implement most of the provisions of Kenya’s 2010 constitution. The media were eager to see how the government, led by Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto, would adhere to article 34 of the constitution, which deals with the freedom of the press. The two politicians had promised to expand media freedoms once in power. The relationship between the media and Kenyatta’s regime went through six stages that defined the president’s nine years in office between 2013 and 2022. It shifted from “karibuni chai” (welcome to tea)…

Jul

2022

By The African Mirror

Kenya’s Ruto’s promises to publish contracts with China

NEWS

KATHARINE HOURELD and DUNCAN MIRIRI KENYA'S deputy president and presidential aspirant William Ruto said he will publish government contracts with China and deport Chinese nationals working illegally if he is elected on August 9, promises likely to resonate with citizens pummeled by mounting debt and the skyrocketing cost of living. Kenya, whose 2022/23 budget of 3.3 trillion shillings ($27.86 billion) has a deficit of 6.2% of gross domestic product, owes China about $8 billion. Ruto has promised to slash the government borrowing that has funded President Uhuru Kenyatta's infrastructure building spree. The contracts are not public and some Kenyan organisations…

Nov

2020

By The African Mirror

Lawyer surrenders, accused of bribing witnesses in ICC case against Kenya VP

NEWS

A lawyer turned himself in to Dutch authorities to face accusations at the International Criminal Court of bribing witnesses in a trial of Kenyan Vice President William Ruto which collapsed four years ago. Kenyan lawyer Paul Gicheru was wanted on an ICC arrest warrant dating from 2015 that accused him of trying to bribe six prosecution witnesses to recant testimony in the case. Ruto and his co-accused, broadcaster Joshua Sang, were both charged with fomenting ethnic violence after a disputed 2007 election when 1,200 people died. Judges ruled in 2016 that they had no case to answer, although they left…

Sep

2020

By The African Mirror

Thousands at church service with Kenyan deputy president

RELIGION

AFRICAN MIRROR REPORTER THOUSANDS of Kenyans joined the country’s deputy president William Ruto at an inter-denominational church service in Bumula Constituency. Ruto attended the service presided over by Bishop Godfrey Shiundy of the Reformed Catholic Church. The service was held at the DDC’s Grounds in Bumula, Bungoma County. While Ruto, seen by many as the next president of Kenya, drew an impressive crowd, questions have been asked, on social media, about the lack of COVID-19 protocols at the church service. The deputy president was not wearing a mask, neither were the thousands of his supporters who also did not observe…

Aug

2020

By The African Mirror

Kenya’s Deputy President meets religious leaders

RELIGION

KENYA’S Deputy President William Ruto has held talks with faith leaders led by Bishop Daniel Nzioka and others from Kitui, Makueni and Machakos counties. The Deputy President and the religious leaders discussed the progress made in the establishment of an Africa Inland Church Prayer Centre at Ikutha in Kitui County, Karen, Nairobi County. “We appreciate the church for its spiritual and socioeconomic guidance and contribution to our efforts to transforming our country. We will continue supporting the church in its activities and programmes to establish a more united country,” Ruto said. https://twitter.com/WilliamsRuto/status/1293846030627241985?s=20 https://twitter.com/williamsruto/status/1293848148587220994?s=21