William Samoei Arap Ruto’s wife Rachel and their daughter Abby Cherop Ruto at Miracle Center Cathedral – Rubaga on August 19th, 2018. COURTESY PHOTO.
Several Ugandan Pastors have sent congratulatory messages to Kenya’s president-elect, William Ruto following his declaration as the winner of the country’s August 9 election.
The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) Chairperson, Wafula Chebukati, announced Ruto as the winner on Monday, garnering 50.49 percent of the votes to his closest challenger Raila Odinga’s 48.85 percent.
He will become Kenya’s fifth President since independence.
Pastor Robert Kayanja, one of Uganda’s renown Born-again leaders, said in his congratulatory message to the Republic of Kenya that Ruto’s win is an “answered prayer.”
Mr Kayanja described William Ruto as a “man of God” and strong believer in Jesus Christ.
“I congratulate my brother William Ruto. He is a man of God. He is the president elect of the republic of Kenya,” he said during a live television programme in Kampala Monday night.
“We are very close friends with the family of the Rutos. I was preaching at a big crusade in Kenya, and his wife was in attendance. That is how I got to know them. She came to a crusade and the Lord told me to go and spend a night in their home and pray. The following day, Deputy President Ruto was leaving for the International Criminal Court (ICC). We prayed that all will go well, and indeed, all went well,” Pastor Kayanja said. “I remember, telling him [William Ruto] that God is going to save him because He has a purpose for him in the future of Kenya.”
Pastor Kayanja went on to explain that William Ruto’s visit to Uganda in 2018, was aimed at among other things giving thanks to God.
“Because of that prayer, and the victory they got, he came to Uganda to give thanks. [His family] came here at the Miracle Centre Cathedral – and they thanked God,” Pastor Kayanja said.
Our readers should note that Kenya’s election results announcement was delayed for more than two hours past the constitutional deadline and the country’s electoral commission was split, after four officials disowned the commission’s chairman Wafula Chebukati’s results.
Saturday, during the vote counting, Pastor Robert Kayanja says he had a zoom call with William Ruto’s wife Rachel Ruto, USA’s Cindy Jacobs [an author, speaker, and teacher with a prophetic gift], and a few pastors in Kenya.
“We prayed on Saturday night, for a full hour, that first of all, they release the election results, and at the same time, that president Ruto will be announced. I was holding his portrait in my chest, praying,” Mr Kayanja said.
I Love Speaking In Tongues – Ruto
In 2020, Ruto made headlines for his love for the scripture and habit of quoting Bible verses in his social media posts and even public speeches. One local news daily likened him to a man speaking in tongues.
In a satirical response, Ruto admitted that he indeed loved speaking in tongues since “the devil does not understand the language of God”.
Sources say that Ruto’s love for the church began back in university days where he is said to have led the institution’s Christian Union (CU) group in worship and fellowship.
He carried on with the same spirit as a political leader and has often been attending church services and giving donations and sponsoring construction of worshipping centres across the country. At his Karen home, Ruto has put up a private chapel where his wife Rachel ministers.
Agencies contributed to this report.
