Deputy President William Ruto in his Christmas message claims Joseph, father of Jesus was a hustler

As he extended a message of love and hope to Kenyans on Christmas day, Deputy President (DP) William Ruto declared Joseph of Nazareth was a hustler.

"This is how grace found a carpenter hustling in Nazareth and bestowed on him the divine honour of parenting the saviour of all human kind," stated DP Ruto in a special message to Kenyans on December 24, 2021.

According to Christians Joseph was a carpenter who lived in the town of Nazareth in the Roman province of Galilee. He lived during the reign of Augustus Caesar.

He was of the Hebrew tribe of Judah, with a lineage going back to King David. He married Mary, a girl from the same tribe, when Quirinius was governor of Syria.

He was to become the legal father of Jesus Christ, who was miraculously born to his wife before the two of them had consummated their marriage. As a law-abiding Jew, he raised the child as his own, protecting him from harm and introducing him to God and his law.

The DP, together with his wife Rachel took note of the challenges endured by the country as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, urging members of the public draw inspiration from Joseph and Mary.

"We must therefore trust that if we believe, God's divine light and grace shall reach us and cast away darkness, sorrow and despair," stated Rachel.

The DP urged Kenyans to continue caring and loving one another and carry on with the work of nation-building during this festive season.

"In this season of goodwill and hope, let us thankfully rejoice for this opportunity to be there with each other and for each other," he remarked.