Kenya’s President William Ruto has fired all Cabinet Secretaries and Attorney General Justin Muturi in response to youth-led anti-government protests.
Only Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi, who also serves as the Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary, has been exempted.
“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 have, in line with the powers given to me by Article 152(1) and 152(5)(b) of the Constitution and Section 12 of the Office of the Attorney-General Act, decided to dismiss with immediate effect all the Cabinet Secretaries and the Attorney-General from the Cabinet of the Republic of Kenya except the Prime Cabinet Secretary and Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs,” said President Ruto in televised announced.
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Dr. Ruto mentioned he would involve other political figures in restructuring his Cabinet. Meanwhile, the President stated that government activities would proceed under the supervision of Principal Secretaries and other appropriate officials.
“I will immediately engage in extensive consultations across different sectors and political formations, with the aim of setting up a broad-based government that will assist me in accelerating and expediting the necessary, urgent and irreversible, implementation of radical programmes 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 consequently making the government lean, inexpensive, effective and efficient,” he added.
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On Tuesday, the President revealed intentions for a “comprehensive political arrangement,” indicating that he might be contemplating incorporating the opposition Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) led by Raila Odinga into his embattled Kenya Kwanza administration.
According to The Nation News Agency, the President is considering the idea of forming a ‘government of national unity’ by including opposition figures in his administration as a way to address the current political crisis instigated by protesting youth demanding a significant reorganization of his government.
This wouldn’t be the first time Kenya has experienced a government of national unity. In 2005, after President Mwai Kibaki lost the referendum to the NO camp led by his Cabinet Minister Raila Odinga, he responded by dismissing his entire Cabinet. When he reconstructed it two weeks later, Mr. Odinga and his Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) members were excluded.
“Following the referendum results, it has become necessary for me, as the President of the Republic, to restructure my government to enhance its cohesion and effectiveness in serving the people of Kenya,” stated Mr. Kibaki.
“I have instructed that all Ministers and Assistant Ministers vacate their offices. Consequently, the occupants of these offices are no longer in their respective positions with immediate effect,” he added.
Source: East Africa News