Information
Kenyan President William Ruto, responding to the widespread unrest following the introduction of new tax hikes, announced the immediate dismissal of nearly all his cabinet ministers and the Attorney General. This drastic measure was announced during a televised speech outside the State House in Nairobi, where Ruto invoked constitutional and legal authority to support his decision. He retained only the Prime Cabinet Secretary, Musalia Mudavadi, and Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua. This action followed significant public protests against the tax increases that led to violence and upheaval across the nation, indicating severe discontent with the government’s fiscal policies.
In the aftermath of these events, President Ruto expressed his intention to form a “broad-based government” to address multiple national crises, including the country’s overwhelming debt, the need for increased domestic revenue, job creation, and the elimination of corruption and wastage in government spending. These protests, which had initially started peacefully in June, escalated into deadly confrontations with law enforcement, resulting in the death of 39 people and injuries to 361 others, as reported by Kenya’s National Commission on Human Rights. Ruto’s concessions and the cabinet dissolution have been viewed as a victory by activists like Hanifa Adan, who emphasized the empowerment of the Kenyan people through these political upheavals.
Source: AFP, AP
So what
There are clearly some serious social issues facing Kenya, and while tax reforms may be required to deal with some of this, the people clearly want to be a part of the conversation. Though it is unlikely that much will change in the short term, it is possible that this idea of widening the conversation will reduce the risk of riots. Regardless of community buy-in, Kenya has a big job ahead of itself in rebuilding its economy.
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