Ruto bursts into tears in front of worshipers

By Caleb-Mutua

Deputy President-elect William Ruto yesterday left hundreds of worshipers astounded when he broke down in tears at the pulpit.

While attending for the Sunday service at Faith Evangelical Ministries with his family, Mr Ruto shed tears when thanking God for the Jubilee coalition victory in the March 4 elections.

The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission declared Jubilee coalition’s Uhuru Kenyatta as the president in the historic vote.

He had not cried like that for decades and that his wife Rachel knew him as a strong man. Rachel also cried alongside the former Eldoret North MP at the dais.

“The same God who gave us victory against all odds will do more exceedingly and abundantly for us. It will be more than the people of Kenya want. God is going to do great things for this country,” said Ruto after composing himself.

In his remarks shortly after they were announced the winners, Mr Ruto said that their victory was, in all manner of definitions, a miracle.

“God turned every roadblock into a stepping stone and turned every chance into an opportunity. Our victory today ladies and gentlemen is in all manner of definitions a miracle and we want to thank God,” he said on Saturday.

In the meanwhile, President-elect Uhuru Kenyatta joined worshipers in his Gatundu home for the Sunday service.

Both the president-elect and the deputy president-elect are facing charges of crimes against humanity at the International Criminal Court (ICC).

On Saturday Mr Uhuru in his acceptance speech vowed to collaborate with the international institutions and nations.

The two joined hands and formed a coalition that won the elections, beating the Coalition for Reforms and Democracy (Cord) presidential aspirant Raila Odinga.

Mr Odinga has threatened to move to the Supreme Court to challenge Jubilee’s victory, citing election irregularities.

Mr Ruto called on Mr Odinga and the six other presidential contenders in the just concluded vote to abandon the petition and instead join the Jubilee team and work together.

First published in March 2013.