Kenya’s President Integrates Opposition into New Cabinet Amid Governance Crisis
NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — In an effort to address governance issues highlighted by recent deadly protests, Kenya’s President William Ruto on Wednesday appointed four ministers from the main opposition party to his new Cabinet.
Among the new appointees are the minority leader in parliament and the chairman of opposition leader Raila Odinga’s party. This move comes despite a split within the opposition coalition, with some factions distancing themselves from government negotiations.
The decision follows weeks of unrest in East Africa’s economic hub, which have resulted in dozens of deaths, the dismissal of most Cabinet members, and calls for President Ruto’s resignation. The protests were sparked by widespread rejection of a proposed tax increase, as millions of Kenyans struggle to cope with rising living costs.
On Wednesday, the president commended political parties for their “willingness to set aside partisan positions and interests to join a visionary partnership for the radical transformation of Kenya,” describing it as a historic act of patriotism.
Odinga, who had previously called for dialogue to quell the unrest, denied on Tuesday any allegations of being bribed to join Ruto in forming a broad-based government. He reiterated his support for the protesters, stating that dialogue would only occur once the president met the demonstrators’ demands.
In a statement on Tuesday, his party’s secretary general clarified that there were no ongoing negotiations to join the Ruto administration. The statement also warned that any member seeking a ministerial position would be acting against the party’s stance.
The opposition coalition is not at the helm of the protests, which are spearheaded by young activists utilizing social media for mobilization. However, the coalition has expressed support for the demonstrators, asserting that the governance issues being highlighted align with the opposition’s previous proposals to the government during earlier opposition-led protests.
Ruto has pledged to reform his administration, vowing to clamp down on corrupt officials and those flaunting wealth amid the ongoing cost-of-living crisis.
Activist Hanifa Aden declared on X following the Cabinet appointments, “we are the new opposition.”
Since June 18, the protests have resulted in at least 50 fatalities and 413 injuries, according to the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights.