William Kipchirchir Samoei Arap Ruto (born 21 December 1966) is a Kenyan politician and the Deputy President of Kenya since 2013. He served as the Acting President of Kenya between 6 and 8 October 2014 when President Uhuru Kenyatta was at the International Criminal Court (ICC), in the Hague, Netherlands. He previously served in various ministerial positions, including the Ministries of Home Affairs, Agriculture, and Higher Education Science and Technology. He was the Secretary General of the Kenya Africa National Union (KANU), the former ruling political party, and the MP for Eldoret North Constituency between December 1997 and January 2013. He won the seat in the 1997 elections after defeating Reuben Chesire. He was appointed to the position of Assistant Minister in the Office of the President by President Daniel arap Moi in 1998. He was promoted to be Minister for Home Affairs in August 2002. Ruto has also previously served as the Chairman of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Constitutional Reform in the 9th Parliament.