Kenya's Embattled Ruto Names New Partial Cabinet
Date
7/19/2024 3:14:43 PM
(MENAFN- The Peninsula)
AFP
Nairobi: Kenya's embattled President William Ruto on Friday unveiled a new partial cabinet as he works to form a "broad-based" government, his latest bid to ease the worst crisis of his nearly two-year term in office.
The East African nation has been rocked by a month of sometimes deadly protests that began as peaceful rallies against controversial tax hikes but have morphed into a wider anti-government campaign calling for Ruto to go.
In a televised address, the Kenyan leader listed 11 names for ministerial posts and the position of attorney general, just over a week after he sacked almost his entire cabinet.
"While the events of the past month have caused tremendous anxiety, concern and uncertainty, the crisis has presented us with a great opportunity, as a nation, to craft a broad-based, and inclusive citizen coalition for national transformation and progress, made up of Kenyans from all walks of life," Ruto said.
"Consequently, I have started the process of forming a new broad-based cabinet to assist in driving the urgently needed and irreversible transformation of our country."
The appointments must be approved by parliament.
However, several of those nominated were members of the previous government, including Kithure Kindiki at the head of the interior ministry, which is in charge of Kenya's under-fire police force.
And the main opposition coalition Azimio has already declared it would not join any government of national unity.
Ruto has taken a series of measures to placate protesters, including scrapping the deeply unpopular tax increases and pledging cuts to what many see as lavish government spending.
But rallies led largely by Gen-Z Kenyans -- while much smaller than last month -- have continued across the country under the hashtag #RutoMustGo, with disgruntled activists also seeking action against corruption and alleged police brutality.
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