
He may share the same name as the President of the Republic of Kenya, but Captain William Ruto could not be more different from the Head of State in terms of their respective careers.
A seasoned mariner, Captain William Ruto has worked in both the private and public sectors.
He began his career as a Cadet Marine Deck Officer in 1991 before joining the Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) as a Deck Officer Trainee Pilot.
He completed his sea-time training as a master mariner and attained the highest qualification as a Ship Captain (Class 1 Master Mariner FG) from South Tyneside College, School of Nautical Science, UK.
Ruto is also a 'learned friend' as he holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) with a Strategic Management option from Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT).
He is an Associate Fellow of the Nautical Institute (AFNI) and a Member of the International Harbour Masters Association (IHMA – UK).
He has attended various local and international seminars and workshops on shipping, maritime, transport, and logistics matters. He has completed a Port Security course at the University of Maryland (USA), an IMO course on Port Management and Operations in France at Port Le Havre, and several other short courses on port maritime and management.
Now the KPA Managing Director, one of Ruto's biggest feats in 2024 was aiding Mombasa and Kisumu Ports to overcome economic adversity and experience considerable growth. Mombasa Port, for instance, recorded a 6% growth.
A report in March 2024 also revealed that Kisumu Port recorded its best performance in 2023, increasing its cargo handling by 119% to reach 127,745 tonnes.