ANTI-GOVERNMENT protesters have once again taken to the streets in Kenya, intensifying their calls for President William Ruto’s resignation. This comes as President Ruto witnessed the swearing-in of a newly reconstituted cabinet aimed at addressing public dissatisfaction.
On Wednesday, police in Nairobi fired tear gas and made arrests, although the number of participants in the protests had decreased compared to previous weeks. Roads leading to State House, the president’s official residence, were blocked as 19 newly appointed ministers took their oaths of office following parliamentary approval.
Ruto’s new ‘broad-based’ cabinet includes four posts given to the opposition, with key ministries such as finance and energy among them.
‘This moment in the life of our nation calls on us to build a strong “team of rivals” to give our transformation agenda the best chance of success,’ Ruto stated during the ceremony.
The country has experienced a month of protests that began as peaceful rallies against tax hikes but have since evolved into a broader anti-government campaign demanding Ruto’s departure. According to a state-backed rights watchdog, at least 50 people have died since the protests began.
In his address, Ruto admitted that many public officials in his administration had ‘fallen short of the constitutional standard for public officers.’ He promised to implement measures to ‘levy a surcharge’ against public officials responsible for the loss of public resources.
