Young Kenyans on Friday dismissed President William Ruto’s decision to dismiss most of his cabinet, with some warning that they would resume street protests unless he steps down. Ruto has been struggling to contain the fallout from deadly protests against proposed tax hikes, which escalated into violence last month and highlighted widespread anger against his government.
The protests, largely organized online by young, Gen-Z Kenyans, have plunged Ruto’s administration into the most serious crisis of his two-year presidency, forcing him to abandon the finance bill containing the tax hikes. In his latest move to defuse tensions, Ruto on Thursday dismissed all cabinet ministers, including the attorney-general, except for Foreign Minister Musalia Mudavadi and Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua.
While some welcomed the announcement, many young Kenyans remain frustrated with Ruto’s failure to deliver on his 2022 election promises to create jobs and improve their fortunes. Hyrence Mwangi, 25, said, “We will be back on the streets until Ruto goes. He has wasted two years in office traveling and telling lies.”
Initially peaceful, the protests escalated sharply when police fired at crowds who stormed parliament, ransacking the partly ablaze complex. Anger against the government, particularly towards the police, has not subsided, with rights groups reporting that 39 people were killed during the demonstrations.
“When we first went to the streets, Ruto dismissed us as a bunch of hired goons and criminals, only to come later and start saying he will make changes,” said 27-year-old Jackson Rotich. “We can’t trust him.”
Law student Melisa Agufana, 24, expressed cautious optimism, saying she wanted to “thank the president for listening” and noting that the dismissed ministers had “wasted two years doing nothing apart from being driven around with our national flag.”
Analysts have warned of further risks despite the possibility of a fresh start. Gabrielle Lynch, professor of comparative politics at the University of Warwick, told AFP, “The challenge that Ruto now faces is forming a new cabinet that includes various vested interests, whilst simultaneously calming popular anger.”
Last week, Ruto announced sharp cuts to government spending, including travel and refurbishment costs, and said he would increase borrowing to pay for some services even as Kenya grapples with massive foreign debt equivalent to roughly 70 percent of GDP. The crisis led US-based Moody’s to downgrade Kenya’s debt rating further into junk territory, warning of a negative outlook, making borrowing even more expensive for the cash-strapped government.
Ruto said Thursday that he would “immediately engage in extensive consultations across different sectors and political formations, with the aim of setting up a broad-based government,” without elaborating further.
