Kenya’s Ruto adds opposition figures to cabinet as protests rumble on

Despite president’s hope that a new cabinet could quell protests, scepticism remains and rallies continue.

Kenya’s President William Ruto has appointed four members of the main opposition party as part of a new cabinet as protests continue to rock the East African nation.

Ruto announced the nominees in an address to the nation on Wednesday. The president had promised to appoint a new “broad-based” cabinet in response to continuing nationwide protests that have threatened his hold on power.

The announcement came two weeks after Ruto scrapped the previous cabinet as the protests, prompted by planned tax hikes, swelled. A clampdown by the authorities helped raise the number of people killed to more than 50, with hundreds more wounded.

The opposition figures appointed to the new cabinet are allies of political veteran Raila Odinga, whom Ruto defeated in elections in 2022.

John Mbadi Ngo’ongo will lead the finance ministry and James Opiyo Wandayi was named energy minister.

“I commend the leadership of diverse organisations … for their encouraging response to my outreach to consult on forming a broad-based government,” Ruto said in the address from his official residence.

“Their willingness to set aside partisan positions and interests in order to join a visionary partnership for the radical transformation of Kenya is a historic gesture of their patriotism.”

However, the majority of the 20 appointees announced so far were members of the disbanded cabinet, and reports suggest this has angered some.

The nominations must next be approved by parliament, both chambers of which are controlled, with a slim majority, by allies of Ruto.

Scepticism

Despite Ruto’s hope that a new cabinet, and the inclusion of opposition figures, would help defuse anger, significant scepticism remains.

The mostly young protesters who have largely led the demonstrations, which already forced Ruto to withdraw the tax hikes, have voiced opposition to a unity government.

They said a deal between the rival camps would only perpetuate a tradition of leaders co-opting the opposition with jobs and perks while the population sees no benefits.

The protests have been mostly organised online and have stood out for their broad mobilisation of Kenyans across ethnic and regional lines.

Demonstrators have condemned the entire political class as corrupt and called for far-reaching reforms to address corruption and poor governance.

Last week, coalition allies of Odinga’s party had indicated that they would not participate in a unity government. It is still unclear how they will react to the nominations.

Ruto said he would announce the final two nominations to the new cabinet soon. He also said he would propose amendments to anticorruption and public procurement laws.

‘Journalists lives matter’

Meanwhile, unrest continues across Kenya, with activists now calling on Ruto to resign.

On Wednesday, journalists joined marches in protest against what they see as heavy-handed government tactics to stifle media freedom, including police attacks on journalists during the demonstrations.

They held placards reading “Journalists lives matter”; “Shoot not the messenger”; and “End the brutality,” as they staged rallies across several towns and cities.