Another victory for Gen Z as Ruto bows to pressure, dissolves Cabinet

Demonstrators match along the streets of Nakuru City to protest the controversial finance bill 2024 on June 24, 2024. [Kipsang Joseph, Standard]

In one of the most drastic decisions since he took office, President William Ruto has bowed to pressure and dismissed his Cabinet, a decision Kenyans received with utmost jubilation.

The Cabinet went down at a time when Gen Zs had insisted they would not agree to a reshuffle but a complete overhaul and threatened to return to the streets with more protests if Ruto ignored their demands.

Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, Prime Cabinet Secretary, who is also the Minister for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs Musalia Mudavadi, and Secretary to the Cabinet Mercy Wanjau, survived the axe.

Even the Attorney General, Justin Muturi was not spared, just moments after reportedly lifting the lid on the slanted process of making decisions in government.  

“Upon reflection, listening keenly to what the people of Kenya have said and after a holistic appraisal of the performance of my Cabinet and its achievements and challenges, I have, in line with the powers given to me by Article 152(1) and 152(5)(b) of the Constitution and Section 12 of the Office of the Attorney-General Act, decided to dismiss with immediate effect all the Cabinet Secretaries and the Attorney-General from the Cabinet of the Republic of Kenya except the Prime Cabinet Secretary and Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs,” said Ruto.

His press briefing, at State House in Nairobi yesterday, lasted 12 minutes. There was no question-and-answer session for journalists.

This is yet another win for Gen Z since they started their push for better governance last month through peaceful demonstrations.

The protests saw the President withdraw the infamous Finance Bill 2024 that would have imposed more punitive taxes on the already overburdened Kenyans. And on Tuesday, Ruto enacted the Independent and Electoral Boundaries Commission (IEBC) Amendment Bill, another of the demands that Kenyans had made.

But the Gen Z did not stop at that. They insisted they will continue the push to ensure the President creates a new Cabinet, in addition to weeding out the corrupt individuals.

With the President’s move, Article 1 of the Constitution, which states all the sovereign power belongs to the people, has been seen to happen. “All sovereign power belongs to the people of Kenya and shall be exercised only per this Constitution. The people may exercise their sovereign power either directly or through their democratically elected representatives,” the Constitution states.

To ensure there is no vacuum and government services are not interrupted, the President spared the Principal Secretaries and committed to consult extensively as he creates a new lineup.

He said he would immediately engage in consultations across different sectors and political formations, to set up a broad-based government that would assist him in accelerating and expediting the necessary, urgent and irreversible, implementation of radical programmes.

The programmes he seeks to initiate will deal with the burden of debt, raise domestic resources, expand job opportunities, eliminate wastage and unnecessary duplication of government agencies and slay the dragon of corruption consequently making the government lean, inexpensive, effective and efficient.

“During this process, the operations of government will continue uninterrupted under the guidance of Principal Secretaries and other relevant officials. I will be announcing additional measures in due course,” Ruto said.

Akin to the proverbial ‘Last Supper’, the Cabinet met last Thursday, which was the beginning of the end of the CSs, unless they are second time lucky.

Moments before their dismissal, Mudavadi chaired the National Development Implementation Committee (NDIC) in Nairobi. The meeting was attended by, among others, Aden Duale (Defence), Simon Chelugui (Cooperatives), Njuguna Ndung’u (National Treasury), Susan Nakhumicha (Health), Florence Bore (Labour), Ababu Namwamba (Sports), Peninah Malonza (EAC and Regional Development) and Zacharia Mwangi (Water).

However, none of them were present when the President announced their dismissal and their names were immediately removed from the State House official website, president.go.ke. Images of Ruto, Gachagua, Mudavadi and Wanjau were the only ones left on the website.

Some CSs have been on the receiving end over their flashy lifestyles and spending spree in this a turbulent economic times in Kenya.

On the measures he announced last week barring State and public officers from engaging in fundraisers, Ruto said the Public Fundraising Appeals Bill is now ready for publication today.

“Even with the progress we have made, I am acutely aware the people of Kenya have high expectations of me and believe this administration can undertake the most extensive transformation in our nation’s history,” said Ruto, as he listed his achievements in the last two years.

Moments after his decision, some of the CSs extended their appreciation to Ruto for the opportunity he granted them in the Cabinet.

Duale said: “I extend my heartfelt gratitude to President Ruto for entrusting me with the role of Cabinet Secretary for Defence. I am deeply honoured and will forever be indebted to him and the people of Kenya for this opportunity to serve our great nation. As the Quran says, “But they plan, and Allah plans. And Allah is the best of planners” (Quran 8:30).”

Article 152 of the Constitution provides that the Cabinet consists of the President, Deputy President, the Attorney-General and not fewer than 14 and not more than 22 CSs. The President nominates and with the approval of the National Assembly, appoints Cabinet Secretaries, who should not be MPs.

“Each person appointed as a Cabinet Secretary assumes office by swearing or affirming faithfulness to the people and the Republic of Kenya and obedience to this Constitution, before the President and may resign by delivering a written statement of resignation to the President,” the law says.

Similarly, the President may re-assign or dismiss a CS.

An MP, supported by at least one-quarter of all the members, may propose a motion requiring the President to dismiss a Cabinet Secretary on the grounds of gross violation of a provision of this Constitution or of any other law, where there are serious reasons for believing that the Cabinet Secretary has committed a crime under national or international law for gross misconduct.

However, Ruto did not go down this route and has opted to invoke his powers as provided by the Constitution, following pressure from the country. For the A-G, the President invoked Section 12 of the Office of the Attorney-General Act.