Kenya’s President William Ruto has announced the sacking of virtually his entire cabinet and consultations to form a “broad-based government” following widespread anti-government protests.
Ruto said his decision would apply to all ministers, including the attorney general, but it excluded Foreign Minister Musalia Mudavadi.
“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 a televised address to the nation on Thursday, adding that he would announce additional measures later.
The East African nation was left reeling after peaceful rallies last month to protest planned steep tax increases flared into deadly violence, with police firing at crowds who stormed the Parliament of Kenya, leaving it partly ablaze.
Led largely by young people, the protests plunged Ruto’s administration into the most serious crisis of his presidency, forcing him to abandon the tax hikes and scramble to contain the damage.
The youth’s dissatisfaction with Ruto began before the controversial tax hikes were proposed.
Protests against the tax hike began in June and widened into a broader campaign against Ruto and his government, with some demonstrations descending into violence that has left dozens dead.
Last week, the Kenyan leader announced sharp cuts to government spending in response to growing anger over his cabinet’s travel and renovation budgets while ordinary citizens struggled to cope with a cost-of-living crisis.
In addition to scrapping the annual finance bill, including the tax hikes, Ruto has also sought to engage with some protesters, hosting an event on social media platform X with young Kenyans last week.
But this has failed to appease some demonstrators, who have continued to call for him to step down, using the hashtag #RutoMustGo and staging smaller rallies across Kenyan cities.
