Kenyan president dismisses almost all ministers after weeks of protests

Kenyan President William Ruto has dismissed all of his cabinet ministers and promised to form a new government that will be lean and efficient following weeks of protests over high taxes and poor governance.

In a televised address Thursday, the president also dismissed the attorney general and said ministries will be run by their permanent secretaries.

"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 … (under) Constitution decided to dismiss with immediate effect all the Cabinet Secretaries and the Attorney-General," said Ruto.

He retained deputy President Rigathi Gachagua and Foreign Affairs Minister Musalia Mudavadi, who also acts as prime cabinet secretary.

Weeks of unrest

Ruto said he made the move after listening to the people and that he would form a broad-based government after consultations.

Kenya has seen three weeks of unrest in which protesters stormed into parliament on June 25 after a finance bill that increased taxes was passed. More than 30 people died in the protests, which have morphed into calls for the president to resign.

The Finance Bill 2024 was a cornerstone of Kenya’s agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), aimed at addressing the country’s fiscal challenges. It included tax increases aimed at raising more than $2.7 billion in revenue for the government’s ambitious Ksh4.2 trillion ($30.6 billion) 2024-25 budget.

Ruto abandoned the bill, asking lawmakers to withdraw it.

Earlier, the president announced a cut in public spending, and said his administration will be proposing to Parliament a budget cut of Ksh177 billion ($1.2 billion) and borrowing the difference Ksh169 billion ($1.1 billion).