Why it’s not fair to label Ruto as corrupt

No doubt Deputy President William Ruto's rise to Political and financial stardom has been on an upward trajectory ever since he joined politics in 1997.

Also true is the fact that he has been around power long enough to be able show the fruits and goodies that comes with being around power.

To attribute his entire achievement to corruption is not only unfair but grossly lacking in candor. If you have heard of his humble beginnings it’s probably because the story has been told many times.

It is true that Ruto was not born into the affluence that his peers in politics have been accustomed to from birth. Therefore it means that just like any other ordinary Kenyan of similar upbringing he was going to work extremely hard to be where he is today.

The say that goes, ‘for a man to be born poor is not a choice but to die the same way is probably a choice holds true. Ruto made his first debut in mainstream politics in 1997 by trouncing Reuben Chesire a Moi era political heavy weight, clinching the Eldoret North parliamentary seat.

This in itself was no walk in the park given the strong incumbency which had the full support of President Moi whose word at that time in Rift Valley and beyond was law albeit not written.

He went further to serve as an assistant minister in the office of the President, minister for Agriculture and Higher Education in the coalition government before being elected currently serving as the first Deputy President under the new constitution and under the same ticket with President Uhuru.

All these put together points but to one thing that Ruto is not only a good politician but is also by all standards a very hardworking person. His strength of character, his determination and focus on accomplishing tasks are qualities few politicians possess.

It is therefore not by chance that he finds himself where he is today. Perhaps it is these qualities that almost automatically puts him into focus and makes him an easy target for bad press and detractors.

Ruto does not rank among the top ten wealthiest individual in the country but it astonishing that every time questions on wealth are raised the focus almost unfairly ships to the man from Sugoi.

As was noted this week by one of the US judges in the case involving the former President Trump chief lobbyist Manaffot that its not an offence to have a lot of money neither is it criminal to be wealthy.

Ruto commits no offence by making wealth. In any case he needs build a huge reservoir of resources to be able to fight it out with the big boys whose only exoneration from the sin Ruto is accused of is the fact that their fathers stole on their behalf.

The recently released poll by IPSOS Synovate putting the deputy president as the most corrupt in the country is the most cynical poll to have ever been released in the history of opinion polls in Kenya.

Its focus on individuals and their willingness to serve as a tool for personal vendetta is to say the list astonishing. It would be important that such polls be regulated so that they do not become channels for sawing discord among Kenyans.

To conclude am reminded of John Chapter 8:7, “they said this testing him in order that they may have a basis for accusing him. But Jesus bent down and began to write on the ground with his finger, when they continued to question, he straightened up and said let him who is without sin among you be the first to cast a stone at her” but unlike the adulterous woman, no proof of corruption against the deputy president has ever been brought forth yet his accusers would rather throw mad at him for sins for which themselves are guilty of.