FROM selling chickens by the roadside somewhere in Uasin Gishu, William Ruto has risen to become the second most powerful man in Kenya.
This transformation gives us a glimpse into the life and character of Deputy President Ruto, who also served as MP for Eldoret North.
Ruto is an orator, hardworking, intelligent and a go-getter, skills he has efficiently exploited to reach the exalted position he occupies today. Ruto is the kind of a guy who smells an opportunity miles away and goes out of his way to get it.
I have known him since his days as an assistant minister in the Office of the President between 2000 and 2002.
More than anything else, Ruto is a hardworking individual. The problem with our country is that people who work hard are frowned upon and at times the efforts of their hard work are criminalized.
Unlike many other people, he works for a minimum 16 hours a day. He sets his targets and ensures that they are achieved before embarking on the next mission. He is also a devout Christian who thrives in the fear of God. And make no mistake about it – his fear of the Lord is engraved on his heart, not in the mouth. On several occasions, I have witnessed him counsel people who visit him to fear God and focus on making clean money out of clean deals.
He is also a loving individual. He loves wittingly and, just like his fear of God, his love is genuine. Once you are his friend you can never second-guess him at the hour of need. He will be there for you. Ruto is extremely loyal to the friends he makes.
If he has a weakness, it is that even as a politician he does not know how to lie, is always very slow to forgive those who transgress against him and is known to have a short fuse.
Just as he loves from the heart, he also hates from his heart. Once he dislikes something or someone, he will not hide his revulsion and will make it known to you.
He loved Raila Odinga and wholeheartedly supported him before and during the 2007 election. But once they fell out he has never forgiven him.
He should learn to forgive because even the Lord whom he cherishes has taught us the greatest lessons on forgiveness.
- Sankok is the chairman of the National Council for Persons with Disabilities