Kenyan President William Ruto on Thursday dismissed almost his entire cabinet apart from the foreign minister in the wake of nationwide anti-government protests.
The youth-led protests, sparked by planned tax hikes which Ruto was forced to abandon, have created the biggest crisis of his two-year presidency.
At least 39 people were killed in clashes with the police and some demonstrators briefly stormed parliament last month.
In the latest move to defuse tensions, Ruto said his decision would extend “with immediate effect” to all ministers including the attorney-general, but excluded prime cabinet secretary and foreign minister Musalia Mudavadi and Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua.
The president said he decided on the dismissals “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 will immediately engage in extensive consultations across different sectors and political formations and other Kenyans, both in public and private, with the aim of setting up a broad-based government,” Ruto said in the address.
“During this process, the operations of government will continue uninterrupted under the guidance of principal secretaries and other relevant officials. I will be announcing additional measures and steps in due course.”
Last week Ruto proposed spending cuts and additional borrowing in roughly equal measure to fill the nearly $2.7 billion budget hole caused by the withdrawal of the tax hikes.
REUTERS
