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Kenyan President William Ruto plans to hand control of several key ministries to allies of opposition leader Raila Odinga as part of his response to mass protests that have rocked his government.
Ruto dismissed nearly his entire cabinet at the height of the protests against proposed tax hikes and government corruption. He has since nominated ministers for his new cabinet and called upon individuals close to Odinga, whom he defeated in the 2022 presidential election.
Senior members of Odinga’s Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party were among those nominated for ministerial roles on Wednesday. The ODM’s chairman, John Mbadi, was named National Treasury cabinet secretary, putting him at the helm of the economy. Other Odinga allies were placed in charge of the energy and petroleum ministry and the mining portfolio.
Other parties in the Odinga-led Azimio opposition coalition had previously distanced themselves from plans to join the Ruto cabinet, arguing it would be a betrayal of the youth protesters who continue to demand for Ruto’s resignation.
Several cabinet secretaries that had been dismissed were announced as ministerial nominees on Wednesday, albeit for different roles. Last week, the president named his first 11 nominees, which included people he dismissed a week earlier. The move was widely criticized by protesters.
The president has yet to nominate a new attorney general or a cabinet secretary for the East African Community.
Ruto’s new nominees still need to be vetted by parliament.
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Ruto announced his cabinet nominees in an address in which he also announced proposed economic and anti-corruption reforms. He said the reforms would improve government accountability and stimulate job creation.
Changes to procurement laws designed to enhance transparency around how government contracts are awarded are among the policy reforms to be rolled out in coming months.
The president announced plans to limit the imports of goods already manufactured in Kenya to boost local manufacturing and enhance job creation.
Ruto also revealed plans to change corruption laws to ensure corruption cases are heard and concluded within six months.
“Our government listens to the people of Kenya,” Ruto said. “I have heard you, and I have heard you clearly.”
Step Back
Protesters, who have staged demonstrations in recent weeks, have called for Ruto’s resignation and the arrest of police officers responsible for alleged extrajudicial killings and abductions. At least 50 people have been killed in the protests, according to the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights.
Room for Disagreement
The mostly Gen Z and millennial protesters are expected to continue protests on Thursday, and many are reacting negatively to Ruto’s cabinet selections.