The ascension of William Ruto to the presidency has proven to be a journey of defying all odds.
His victory and subsequent coronation took many by surprise considering the jinxes, doubts and tribulations surrounding his State House quest.
In his own words, he stated "Standing here today is testimony that there is a God in heaven.
"Today I want to thank God because a village boy has become the president of Kenya."
To begin with, this was Ruto's first at the presidency. Opinion polls and seasoned political analysts had predicted his defeat at the hands of his main rival and seasoned politician, Raila Odinga.
His estranged relationship with Uhuru Kenyatta’s administration cast more doubts on his ambitions and complicated the task further.
Nevertheless, Ruto was on August 15 announced as the winner and the Supreme Court upheld his victory while throwing away his competitor's petition.
This made him the first-ever contestant to win a presidential race in a maiden race. His predecessors had vied without success before eventually being elected as the president.
Immediate former president Uhuru Kenyatta first vied in the 2002 General Election where he lost to NARC’s Mwai Kibaki.
Uhuru who was vying on Kenya African National Union (KANU) ticket emerged second in the race that pitted him against a coalition of parties opposed to the former president’s KANU administration.
He would later clinch the much-coveted seat in his second time of asking in 2013.
Former president Mwai Kibaki had also unsuccessfully vied twice in 1992 and 1997 before winning in 2002.
Bad Luck
Ruto also overcame the misconception that former vice presidents are doomed and plunged into oblivion after falling out of favour with their bosses.
It was first manifested in the fallout between the founding president Jomo Kenyatta and his first deputy Jaramogi Oginga.
Jaramogi was isolated from the government. His attempts to ascend to power ended in futility despite his long years of spirited fight.
The vice president’s curse was also apparent in the late George Saitoti’s fallout with president Moi. Saitoti, who is the longest-serving vice president was kicked out of the government.
Whilst he was perceived to be the best placed to succeed Moi as the leader of KANU as well as the president, Moi opted for the youthful Uhuru Kenyatta.
Ruto somehow managed to break this jinx. He barely sat in the Cabinet in Uhuru’s second term in office. An executive order by Uhuru scrapped his duties and they were assigned to outgoing Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i.
The president and his allies constantly decried being subjected to unfair purges from government agencies. His win, nonetheless, vindicated him.
