The fortunes of Kenya and its President William Ruto have wavered extremely in the last weeks – with the African country becoming the US main African reference, getting the status of ‘major non-NATO ally’, trusted to send policemen under the United Nations banner to tackle the security crisis in Haiti.
But then, in mere days, anarchy befell the Republic, with weeks of bloody protests over high taxes and poor governance.
Now, Ruto went to Television and dramatically dismissed almost all of his Cabinet ministers.
The President promised to form a new government ‘that will be lean and efficient’.
Associated Press reported:
“In a televised address, the president also dismissed the attorney general and said ministries would be run by their permanent secretaries.
Ruto said he decided after listening to the people that he would form a broad-based government after consultations.
Kenya has seen three weeks of unrest in which protesters stormed into parliament on June 25 after a finance bill was passed that proposed tax increases. More than 30 people died in the protests, which have morphed into calls for the president to resign.”
But Ruto will keep in office his prime Cabinet secretary and key political ally, Musalia Mudavadi.
“He said the dismissals followed ‘a holistic appraisal of the performance’ of the Cabinet and that the new government would help him ‘in accelerating and expediting the necessary, urgent and irreversible implementation of radical programs to deal with the burden of debt, raising domestic resources, expanding job opportunities, eliminating wastage and unnecessary duplication of a multiplicity of government agencies and slay the dragon of corruption’.”
The root of the problem may perhaps be noted when we learn that, upon his election, Ruto appointed no less than 21 Cabinet ministers.
His critics say he choose political cronies, departing from the previous Kenyan practice of picking technocrats to lead the ministries.
Add to that the multiple corruption scandals in the agriculture and health ministries, and you have an explosive mix.
Protesters accused the government of incompetence, arrogance and displays of opulence, while the population face high taxes and a high cost of living.
After calls for his resignation became widespread, Ruto dropped the finance bill increasing taxes, and has now apologized for the ‘arrogance and show of opulence’” by legislators and ministers.
He said he took responsibility and would personally intervene.
“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.
Read more:
KENYA’S FALL FROM GRACE: From US Major Non-NATO Ally to the Brink of Anarchy in DAYS
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