Kenya’s President Fires His Entire Cabinet After Nationwide Protests

By Matthew Mpoke Bigg

Nairobi, KENYA — President William Ruto of Kenya said on Thursday that he was dismissing his cabinet, a significant shake-up in his administration that follows weeks of antigovernment protests in which at least 41 people have been killed during clashes with the police.

The protests were in opposition to a finance bill that Mr. Ruto had said would stabilize the country’s economy. The president announced in a surprise move on June 26 that he would not sign the bill — a victory for the demonstrators — but protests have continued, with many demanding his resignation.

In a hotly anticipated speech at the presidential palace in the capital, Nairobi, on Thursday, Mr. Ruto defended the performance of his administration since his election in 2022 but said that the electorate expected more from his government.
“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,” Mr. Ruto said.

He said that after listening carefully, he had decided to fire the cabinet secretaries with immediate effect, as well as the country’s attorney general. Mr. Ruto said he would retain the foreign minister, Musalia Mudavadi, in the cabinet.

A Kenyan government website lists 24 cabinet secretaries in addition to the deputy president, Rigathi Gachagua, who Mr. Ruto said would retain his post.

Mr. Ruto is a key Western ally who was feted by President Biden at a state dinner in Washington in May as Kenya was designated a major American security partner.

The Kenya section of the International Commission of Jurists issued a statement last week castigating what it said was the gap between the government’s professed commitment to the constitution and its actions in cracking down on the protests.

“Security forces have continued to systematically use unnecessary and excessive force against unarmed protesters, journalists, medical personnel and lawyers,” it said in a statement.

In addition to 41 deaths, 361 people have been injured and more than 670 were arbitrarily arrested, according to the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights, an independent body set up by parliament.