Kenyan President William Ruto dismissed nearly all of his Cabinet ministers, including the attorney general, on Thursday. He promised to form a new government that would be lean and efficient following weeks of protests. In a televised address, the president said he made the decision after listening to the people and that he would form a broad-based government after consultations.
The president stated that the dismissals were based on an overall evaluation of the Cabinet's performance. He also mentioned that the new government would support him in implementing radical programs to address the country's debt, increase domestic resources, create job opportunities, eliminate wastage and unnecessary duplication of government agencies, and fight corruption.
The East African nation experienced three weeks of unrest, which began when protesters entered parliament on June 25 following the passage of a finance bill proposing tax increases. Over 30 people lost their lives in the protests, which later turned into calls for the president to step down. In an attempt to ease tensions, Ruto withdrew the finance bill.
The last time an entire cabinet was dissolved was in 2005 when then-President Mwai Kibaki did so shortly after losing a referendum on a new constitution.
