Reverend William Kotut was born in Sirwa, Baringo in the year 1954. He went to Solai High school in Nakuru.
While a student at Solai High school his charismatic nature endeared him to students who on one occasion, rallied behind his demand that the Solai high school administration does something about the sorry state of the institution’s pit latrines.
It is this charismatic nature of his that played out when he presided over a thanksgiving ceremony in Baringo County which President Ruto attended together with top officials from his government.
“It is no longer time for campaigns, it is time to move forward, we want to see the hustler fund come, and we are telling our people in Baringo.., I want to tell the youth, women, Mama Mboga, Bodaboda.., but I don’t think you mentioned pastors, and whether pastors will be allocated the hustler fund, but also know we are also struggling..,” Rev. Kottut stated amidst laughter from the congregation.
Bishop Kotut during thanksgiving ceremony in Baringo county.
The Standard “Don’t come to Baringo to eat meat with hustler fund, write proposals in order to access the fund..,” he added.
The reverend through his sermon articulated issues affecting Baringo County highlighting idleness and alcoholism as an eyesore in the devolved unit.
“Your excellency, I have a request on two issues, and because you have powers that we don’t, executive powers, please reign on this vice.
“The issue of alcoholism, second generation alcohol, it is destroying our men. Even in Murang’a, I saw women protesting this vice. It is only you who can end this, together with us the clergy,” he told Ruto, leaving the congregation in stitches.
He is famously known as Chepemma, after a children’s rescue home he founded in Nakuru County in the year 1982.
In a village presently known as Kabindup, early missionaries made regular stops at his home to eat and rest, as they wandered deep into the heart of East Africa to spread the gospel.
They erected many tents in the old man’s compound every time they came calling.
Their neighbours were always eager to know much about these mobile huts. The Swahili porters, in the missionaries’ entourage, explained to the natives that the huts are called ‘’Hema’’, a Swahili name for a tent.
From that day henceforth, neighbours’ gave the revered elderly man a new name, ’’Chepemma’’, meaning, owner of tents.
In 1978, William landed a job in the Ministry of home affairs registration of persons department and specialized as a fingerprint technician.
In the year 1979, AIC Kenya endorsed him to be the Northern Rift CYA coordinator where apart from preaching the gospel in schools, his youth group engaged in resource mobilization to build houses for the elderly in the society.
It is then that the government moved William to Kabarnet and then Mogotio in the year 1980 and 81 respectively.
Moi’s Honour
In the year 1984, a severe drought ravaged Kenya and lives were lost in parts of Baringo.
Kenya’s government was forced to import yellow maize from Switzerland to feed the dying population.
Reverend Kotut was touched by the suffering of the masses and was forced to move away from the comfort of his Mogotio office.
President Daniel Arap Moi is believed to have then gotten wind of Reverend William Kottut’s activities in Baringo.
The late President was known as a man whose love for God went back to the days of his youth.
He interacted with the Barnetts, the early missionaries said to have traversed Baringo preaching the Gospel, before pitching camp at the present-day Kabarnet town.
Moi invited William to his Kabarak home over breakfast, he commended William for his outstanding service to the Lord Jesus Christ and Humanity by extension.
The head of state made clear his intention to sponsor William to pursue training in Theology at the Moffat Theological College.
Kotut and Kibaki
His determination to serve the less fortunate in society drew the attention of Kenya’s third President Mwai Kibaki.
In 2007, Reverend Kottut was among a few Kenyans identified to receive the prestigious Head of State Commendation.
Reverend Kotut is married and is blessed with six children.
President Ruto arriving at the thanksgiving service in Baringo.
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