Kenya’s President retains six former Cabinet ministers in the initial batch of appointments, aiming for steady governance and continuity
On Friday, the Kenyan President William Ruto announced his Cabinet’s first 11 members. He decided to keep six former ministers in important areas such as defense and interior.
Ruto recently ousted all but a single minister and declared his intention to establish an inclusive administration that would enable him to tackle the matters which spurred weeks of protests. The demonstrations initially demanded parliamentary rejection of a finance bill advocating for fresh taxes, before devolving into calls for the president’s immediate removal on account of poor governance.
On Friday, the president reappointed the former ministers of interior and defense. However, he has not yet selected a finance minister who will oversee the disputed budget. The country’s public debt is climbing, and Ruto justified proposing taxes as a means to pay off this debt while boosting domestic revenue collection.
Protesters have demanded a new beginning, citing accusations of incompetence, corruption and lavish demonstrations by former officials in the face of exorbitant living expenses.
The police, which falls under the authority of the interior ministry, has faced frequent condemnation for its use of lethal force against protesters during their attack on parliament on June 25th.
Just before the president’s declaration, coalition members from the opposition disagreed with the idea of creating a diverse government on Friday. They referred to it as a “disloyalty towards Kenyan citizens, particularly Gen Zs and millennials,” who had been spearheading demonstrations for reform.
Kalonzo Musyoka, an opposition figure, dismissed the Cabinet change as merely “cosmetic” and stated that there would be no significant alteration as long as Ruto’s administration remained in power. He further emphasized that any opposition party which joined the broad-based government would do so on their own accord rather than representing a united front of the coalition.
Raila Odinga, the primary opposition leader, was absent from the coalition’s media briefing.
Starting on June 18, protests lasting a month were initiated in Kenya by independent youth voices claiming to be without leaders or tribal affiliations. Their goals are centered around promoting reform, responsibility, and improved governance standards.
According to statistics provided by the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights, over 400 individuals have been wounded and a minimum of 50 people have lost their lives since the commencement of demonstrations.
On Thursday, a ban on protests imposed by the police in Nairobi’s capital was suspended by a court.
