Kenyan President William Ruto dismissed nearly all of his Cabinet ministers on Thursday, promising to form a lean and efficient government after weeks of protests over high taxes and poor governance.
In a televised address, Ruto also dismissed the attorney general and announced that ministries would be managed by their permanent secretaries. He explained that the decision came after listening to the people’s concerns and that he would create a broad-based government following consultations.
Kenya has experienced three weeks of unrest, with protesters storming parliament on June 25 in response to a finance bill proposing tax increases. The protests, which resulted in more than 30 deaths, have evolved into calls for the president’s resignation.
Ruto stated that prime Cabinet secretary and key political ally Musalia Mudavadi would remain in office. He said the dismissals were based on a comprehensive appraisal of the Cabinet’s performance and that the new government would help accelerate and implement urgent reforms to address debt, raise domestic resources, create jobs, eliminate wastage and duplication in government agencies, and combat corruption.
State House, Nairobi. https://t.co/GmM8dgOxvS
— William Samoei Ruto, PhD (@WilliamsRuto) July 11, 2024Ruto appointed 21 Cabinet ministers following his election in 2022. Critics accused the president of choosing political cronies and departing from the previous practice of picking technocrats to be in charge of ministries.
Three ministers resigned from their elected positions to take up ministerial appointments. Others lost the election and were seen as being awarded by the president with political appointments.
Several ministries including agriculture and health have been engulfed by corruption scandals involving fake fertilizer and misappropriation of funds.
The protesters accused the Cabinet of incompetence, arrogance and displays of opulence as Kenyans battle with high taxes and a cost of living crisis.
Demonstrators called for the president’s resignation even though he said he would not sign the finance bill that proposed higher taxes.
Ruto on Friday apologized for the “arrogance and show of opulence” by legislators and ministers and said he took responsibility and would speak to them.
He also announced austerity measures including the dissolution of 47 state corporations with overlapping functions to save money and the withdrawal of funding for the First Lady’s office, among others.
Analyst and commentator Herman Manyora called the dismissal of the Cabinet a “bold move” that was necessary to quell the discontent in the country.
This is the first time a sitting president has dismissed Cabinet ministers under the new constitution. The last time a similar move occurred was in 2005 after a failed referendum when then-President Mwai Kibaki dismissed his ministers to assert his political authority.
