Kenya’s President William Ruto on Thursday, July 11, announced that he will dismiss all members of his Cabinet and the Attorney General. In a televised National Address, Ruto said the dismissal of Cabinet Secretaries took immediate effect. ALSO READ: President Ruto announces austerity measures The Prime Cabinet Secretary, who is also in charge foreign affairs, Musalia Mudavadi and Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua would not be affected by the decision. The decision followed weeks of anti-government protests led by Kenyan youth known as Gen-Z against the now-withdrawn finance bill, which would have seen taxes increased. ALSO READ: Kenya govt warns protestors planning chaos, looting At least 39 were killed in the protests, according to Kenyan media. Ruto said the decision was made “upon reflection, listening keenly to what the people of Kenya have said and after a holistic appraisal of the performance of the cabinet and its achievements and challenges.” ALSO READ: President Ruto withdraws contentious finance bill 2024 He said that he will immediately engage in extensive consultations across different sectors and political formations, with the aim of setting up a “broad-based government” which will be “lean, inexpensive, effective and efficient.” He said that in the meantime, the operations of the government will continue “uninterrupted” under the guidance of Principal Secretaries and other relevant officials. ALSO READ: UN, AU saddened by deaths, injuries in Kenya demos, call for restraint Ruto, who announced austerity measures on June 26 in the wake of the dropped finance bill, said he would form a team that will help him in the “implementation of radical programmes to deal with the burden of debt, raising domestic resources, expanding job opportunities, eliminate wastage and unnecessary duplication of a multiplicity of government agencies and slay the dragon of corruption.”
