United Democratic Alliance (UDA) presidential aspirant Dr William Ruto on March 2 granted an interview to Loyola University's Karson Institute founder, Dr Kaye Wise Whitehead.
American professor gets answer to question she wanted to ask Dr Ruto
I've been waiting to ask you this question for years - Dr Kaye Wise to DP Ruto
UDA presidential aspirant Dr William Ruto presents a gift to Loyola University, Maryland associate professor Dr Karsonya "Kaye" Wise Whitehead after their discussion at the Karson Institute on March 2, 2022
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In what was the deputy president's first public engagement in the United States, Dr Wise got to ask the 2022 presidential hopeful a question she had been holding in anticipation of their first interaction.
"I've been waiting to ask you this question for years because when I was in Kenya, I worked with women," the associate professor began, indicating that her question would centre on the issue of women empowerment.
Dr Wise went on to narrate the story of a blind woman who had hosted her in Nairobi and the wisdom the differently-abled, Kenyan lady had imparted on the American educationist.
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Dr William Ruto at the Karson Institute in Maryland, United States
Pulse Live Kenya
"She had been born blind and she used to tell me all the time, 'Coming from America, you're too fast, you can't see at all. I can see better than you and I've never seen a thing'. She used to talk to me about standing still and learning how to do the work right where you are," the professor narrated, before asking DP Ruto to outline policies he'd put in place to empower women if elected president.
DP Ruto answered: "I could do this in three ways; the Bottom-Up economic model is about women... a majority of hustlers are women. We've made it easier for women to be part of the political equation... we will be the political formation that will field the most women candidates in the election... The law is also being progressively fashioned so that to make it impossible to keep up with the age-old tradition of women playing second-fiddle."
How DP Ruto answered a question on ICC asked by American lecturer
Another lecturer at the American university, identified as Dr Schmidt, asked a question on the International Criminal Court (ICC) ruling in a case where DP Ruto had been implicated on involvement with the 2007/2008 post-election violence.
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"Those of us who read the little news about Africa, that is available to us in this country, are aware that the ICC dropped charges against you... but one of the judges made a point of saying that it didn't mean that you had been acquitted but rather that the court no longer had sufficient evidence to continue the case...
"Obviously these are serious allegations and it's a difficult question to tackle but I'm wondering if you could respond to that issue. From your perspective, what is going on there?" the university lecturer posed.
Dr William Ruto and his delegation in the United States at the Loyola University's Karson Institute on March 2, 2022
Pulse Live Kenya
DP Ruto responded: "It's not a difficult question because the facts are very clear. The 2007/2008 incident was very unfortunate for our country and the claims of bribery and intimidation were on all sides [prosecution and defense], the positive side to this is that were able to weather that storm as a nation and to prove that what was considered a precipice gave birth to a new nation - the protagonists came together and formed a government."
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