A kingpin is the most important person in a group or undertaking. A political kingpin is a politician who has a bigger political influence in a certain region.
The Deputy President William Ruto has been a very influential politician in the Rift Valley region ever since he ventured into politics, a factor that has made people refer to him as the Rift Valley political kingpin.
What could be the reason Ruto is referred to as Rift Valley's political kingpin:
Has never lost any political seat
Ever since William Ruto joined politics in 1997 after winning the Member of Parliament for then Eldoret North Constituency, he has never lost any political seat. Ruto succeeded Reuben Chesire as MP for Eldoret North Constituency. He vied as the Deputy President alongside Uhuru in 2013 and won making him Kenya's 11th Vice President.
Delivered Rift Valley votes to ODM in 2007
In the 2007 General Elections when William Ruto was still working with the Opposition leader Raila Odinga, he managed to deliver a bigger number of votes from the region to Raila's camp hence making Raila emerg as the most voted presidential candidate in Rift Valley in the 2007 General Elections.
In 2013 he shifted Rift Valley from ODM to Uhuru's camp
Despite the fact Rift Valley voted Raila Odinga massively in the 2007 General Elections, William Ruto shifted the wave from ODM to Jubilee as Uhuru Kenyatta won massively in Rift Valley in the 2013 General Elections when Ruto joined his coalition after falling out with Raila.
2010 Constitutional Referendum
In the 2010 constitutional Referendum in which the "Yes" team that consisted of many influential politicians including Raila Odinga, William Ruto delivered Rift Valley to the "No" team as a big number of Rift Valley residents voted in "No"
Has been influencing the region's grassroots politics
When he declared his support for Joyce Laboso as his preferred candidate for the Bomet County Governor seat, Joyce Laboso dethroned Isaac Ruto as the County Governor.
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