Kenyan president bows to pressure, sacks cabinet

Kenyan President William Ruto has sacked his cabinet members, excluding the prime cabinet secretary and cabinet secretary for foreign and diaspora affairs.

In a television broadcast on Thursday, Ruto said the decision was taken “after a holistic appraisal of the performance of my cabinet and its achievements and challenge”.

“Upon reflection, listening keenly to what the people of Kenya have said, and after a holistic appraisal of the performance of my cabinet, and its achievements and challenges, I have, in line with the powers given to me by Articles 152(1) and 152(5)(b) of the Constitution and Section 12 of the Office of the Attorney-General Act, decided to dismiss with immediate effect all the Cabinet
Secretaries and the Attorney-General from the Cabinet of the Republic of Kenya, except the Prime Cabinet Secretary and Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs,” the Kenyan president said.

“During this process, the operations of the government will continue uninterrupted under the guidance of principal secretaries and other relevant officials.

“I will immediately engage in extensive consultations across different sectors and political formations, with the aim of setting up a broad-based government that will assist me in accelerating and expediting the necessary, urgent, and irreversible implementation of radical programmes to deal with the burden of debt, raising domestic resources, expanding job opportunities, eliminate wastage and unnecessary duplication of a multiplicity of government agencies, and slay the dragon of corruption, consequently making the government lean, inexpensive, effective, and efficient.”

In June, a controversial finance bill sparked youth-led nationwide protests in Kenya.

The protests degenerated into violence when protesters forced their way into parliament after breaking the fence.

Lawmakers present at the parliament building escaped through an underground tunnel.

Protesters also looted and burned shops linked to members of the country’s parliament as tension between citizens and the government escalated.

Amid the protest, the Kenyan president declined assent to the controversial finance bill.