In response to nationwide protests, Kenyan President William Ruto nominated four members of the main opposition party to a “broad-based” cabinet on Wednesday, July 24, 2024. This move, however, has drawn criticism from activists who denounce the new government as a corrupt compromise.
Among the new appointees is John Mbadi, a key ally of opposition leader Raila Odinga, who has been selected to head the finance ministry. Odinga, who was defeated by Ruto in the 2022 election, has seen several of his allies included in the new cabinet.
In a speech from his official residence, President Ruto described the new government as “a visionary partnership for the radical transformation of Kenya” and expressed gratitude to those involved in its formation for their “historic gesture of their patriotism.”
Despite this, young protesters—who led six weeks of demonstrations resulting in the withdrawal of $2.7 billion in proposed tax hikes—argue that the unity government will merely continue a tradition of incorporating opposition leaders at the public’s expense. Over 50 people have lost their lives during these protests, marking the most significant crisis of Ruto’s two-year tenure. Even after the tax increases were shelved, demonstrations have persisted, with activists now calling for Ruto’s resignation and comprehensive reforms to address corruption.
Prominent anti-government activist Boniface Mwangi criticized the appointments on social media, stating, “Zakayo has appointed corrupt people to fight corruption.” Zakayo is a derogatory nickname derived from a Swahili term for a greedy tax collector, used by protesters to refer to Ruto. Mwangi further asserted, “@RailaOdinga is a traitor. He has betrayed the people, and formed a government of national looting with Zakayo.”
On Monday, Odinga’s Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) declared that it was not negotiating any coalition or political arrangement with the government. The ODM planned to hold a press conference shortly after Ruto’s speech.
In addition to the four opposition members, President Ruto reinstated five members of his cabinet who were dismissed earlier this month following protesters’ demands. Last week, Ruto announced 11 nominations, six of whom were retained from the previous cabinet. The background of one nominee announced on Wednesday remains unclear. Ruto indicated that additional nominations would be forthcoming.
Ruto also announced plans to propose amendments to anti-corruption and public procurement laws and called for the release of any innocent individuals detained during the protests. Initially, Ruto praised the peaceful nature of the demonstrations, which had mobilized participants across ethnic lines—a significant departure from traditional Kenyan politics. However, his stance has hardened in recent days, with Ruto vowing over the weekend to end the protests, condemning them for causing “mayhem and anarchy.”
Activists, who have organized largely through social media without official leaders, plan to march on Thursday to deliver a petition to the president’s office and lay flowers at parliament in memory of those killed a month earlier. They attribute incidents of violence and looting to thugs allegedly hired by politicians seeking to undermine the movement for their own gain.
(Reuters)
