William Ruto’s backyard expects his ‘first strike goal’ into State House

It is 5.36pm on August 5, 2022 and it has just stopped raining as we are ushered into the serenity of a forest-like village where locals are going on with their daily activities as usual.

This is Sugoi, the bucolic village of Deputy President William Ruto.

Despite producing the country’s second in command for 10 years and also having a presidential candidate in this election, Sugoi residents have not stopped continuing with their farm activities because this is an agricultural land.

But even as residents carry on with their activities, there are a few fears in DP Ruto’s Sugoi village unlike in Eldoret town, which is roughly 25 kilometres from his home, where people feel that there might be violence.

The quietness notwithstanding, the village is pregnant with expectation about tomorrow’s polls.

Approximately a half a kilometre from the entrance to the DP’s home, we meet Mr Paul Ruto heading to Sugoi centre for some errands.

He is an immediate neighbour of Dr Ruto as well and they are agemates. Mr Ruto says this election will challenge a lot in the village and the country at large.

The entire region is optimistic that their son will clinch the country’s top seat because he has campaigned vigorously. Here, Dr Ruto losing tomorrow’s election remains unimaginable.

First attempt

“The notion that someone has to make first attempt at the presidency and fail, for the person to win in the second attempt like what happened to President Uhuru Kenyatta and Mwai Kibaki isn’t going to happen with Ruto’s candidacy,” says Mr Ruto, who lives opposite DP Ruto’s home.

With DP Ruto, now the political kingpin of the Kalenjin community after overshadowing Baringo Senator Gideon Moi whose father ruled the country for 24 years, residents here are over-excited that they will be producing the fifth president.

They also feel that President Kenyatta and his new political ally, Azimio la Umoja One Kenya presidential candidate Raila Odinga, betrayed their son who they claim made the duo reach where they are today.

“Ruto has really worked hard just the way he did for Uhuru and Raila. Up to date, we are still wondering why what happened between Ruto and Uhuru,” Mr Ruto said while disclosing that immediately the voting comes to an end on Tuesday, they will embark on singing until DP Ruto is declared the winner.

Passing at DP Ruto’s gate, no sign of any activity going on. At his black metal gate, there is no one manning it perhaps because it was drizzling but we meet one of his workers who has been with Dr Ruto for over 20 years.

Arap Maiyo, who does not know his exact age, tells us that there is no construction going at DP Ruto’s home while workers are happy that their boss will win the presidency.

He says at Dr Ruto’s home, a group of women have been camping there praying for the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) presidential candidate to trounce his biggest rival, Mr Odinga.

“We are confident that Ruto will win this election. There is nothing going on at home. We are just doing what we have been doing. There is a church group which is camping there praying for our boss’ victory on Tuesday,” said Mr Maiyo.

Just a kilometre from Dr Ruto’s gate is Kosachei Primary School where he will be casting his vote tomorrow and find individuals who have supported him since his entry into elective politics as Eldoret North MP.

As a visitor here, you are not supposed to pose a question of ‘what if DP Ruto does not emerge victorious in this election?’ Losing is not in their minds.

In Kosachei, the excitement is like a rumbling volcano and festered boil awaiting Dr Ruto’s victory as they tell us that from childhood, he never failed in whatever he put his hands on.

To them, a Ruto presidency will be a panacea to the high cost of living, return of subsidised fertiliser, universal healthcare (UHC) as well as empowering small-scale businesses.

“I started knowing Ruto while he was still going to school at Kamagut. Even when he first vied for Eldoret North MP, he won the same way he is winning this election. Please do not stress me with the question of what if he does not win. Ruto is not going to lose despite vying for the first time. Since childhood, whatever he decided to do, would always prosper,” says Ms Salina Metei, 50, a resident of Kosachei.

Despite being optimistic about Dr Ruto, whom they describe as the country’s political chess master, they have promised that if the outcome of tomorrow’s polls does not favour them, life will go on.

“In a race, there is a winner and a loser. We will accept because he has even said he will concede defeat. We are hopeful and confident that he will win though.

“Since his childhood, whatever he touches always succeeds. His first attempt at the presidency will be successful. Ruto does not lie; he will implement fully what is in his manifesto because he also suffered. Before venturing into the chicken business, he was a milk clerk at Paul Boit’s dairy where he was being paid Sh300 a month,” said Ms Leah Metto, 57, a resident of Sugoi village .

Approximately 15 kilometres from Sugoi village, in Kipkenyo and Tartar, the feeling is the same, with locals saying there is no way DP Ruto will be defeated by the Azimio honcho.

Their biggest fear is that there might be a plot to rig out their son following the allegations made by the DP that the members of the national government administration have been given funds by the Office of the President to illegally suppress voters and cause violence or vote disruption.

“Things are not okay in the country after Ruto told us that chiefs are collecting national identity cards from the elderly. However, if he loses, we will accept because things have changed unlike 2007/2008. The other day Azimio was campaigning here in Uasin Gishu meaning security is well,” said Mr Ian Kipruto, 22, a resident of Tartar village, who will be voting for the first time.

In Kipkenyo village, Mr Steve Chemase, 52, says they hope if DP Ruto loses, the one who will be elected will serve the entire country fairly.

“If Ruto does not win, let Raila rule us all. A winner is a winner. There will be no chaos because of tribal clashes,” he says.

In Eldoret town, security is beefed up, with red berets in land cruisers patrolling the town even as non-locals are not sitting pretty well.

Some of those interviewed by  the Nation said they are only around to vote then leave for their rural homes, fearing that there might be violence.

A general feeling is that if DP Ruto is not declared the winner in this election, there will be protests even as a substantial number of business people are not restocking. “Some of us are just here to vote on Tuesday, then we leave for home. Things will not be okay in this region if their son is not elected President; they will riot, we have heard them saying so in their language,” said Ms Margaret Nabwire, a fish monger at the famous Eastleigh fish joint in Eldoret town.

How things unfold

Already, some men have already released their wives and children to go home as they remain around to monitor how things unfold.

“Our brothers and sisters in this region are very secretive and you will never know what they are planning. We have gathered information that there might be demonstrations and profiling of other communities if Ruto is not declared winner in this election. That is why some of us have released our families to go home,” said Mr Jefferson Mogire, a resident of Annex.

According to Mr John Yego, coordinator of Myoot Council of Elders in Uasin Gishu, all communities in the county should continue co-existing peacefully despite the outcome of elections.

“There are four people vying for the presidency. They are all our children and whoever wins will be our president and the losers should ensure that there are no demonstrations. Those who will be disgruntled with the outcome should go to court,” said Mr Yego.

Elected leaders in the region do not also want to hear that Dr Ruto might lose tomorrow’s election, saying that there is no way they are going to lose this poll.

“I do not want to talk about Ruto losing because he is going to win this election. If he wins, within 100 days, he will turnaround the country’s economy. He will make systems to empower small businesses and farmers,” said Turbo MP Janet Sitienei. Dr Ruto was born to Mr Daniel Cheruiyot and Mrs Sarah Cheruiyot on December 21, 1966 in Kamagut area of Uasin Gishu.

He received his elementary education at Kamagut and then joined Wareng Secondary School in Eldoret. He passed his A-Level examination at Kapsabet High School in Nandi to join the University of Nairobi, where he studied zoology and botany.

In 1992, he joined ‘Youth for Kanu’, which campaigned for President Moi in the first multiparty elections.

In 1997, he won the Eldoret North parliamentary seat.

Dr Ruto is a teetotaller, workaholic and go-getter.

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