PRESIDENT WILLIAM RUTO TO PUBLICLY ADDRESS NATION
President William Ruto will address the nation from State House, Nairobi, this Friday at 4:00 pm. This shall be his fifth such address since countrywide protests against his government erupted. Speculation is that the President will use the address to unveil his new Cabinet nominees following the dissolving of his Cabinet on July 11, 2024.
The dissolution of Cabinet was in reaction to increasing pressure from waves of anti-government protests that involved mainly members of Gen Z in Kenya. The protests began with the rejection of the now-withdrawn Finance Bill 2024 but have since expanded into bigger issues of economic mismanagement and governance.
The protests, which have tragically resulted in loss of life and significant property damage, have forced the hand of President Ruto to respond to the demands of the youth demonstrators by announcing an austerity package to cut government expenditure and sort out complaints over fiscal indiscipline, in addition to the dissolving of the Cabinet.
Among the many demands made by Gen Z was a Cabinet that’s leaner and more accountable, with people of repute for their integrity. The Cabinet dissolved due to public outcry had 21 members; given the slow pace of decisions, there were also calls for a more streamlined governance structure.
With the nation eagerly waiting for the president’s address, there is keen interest in how he is going to address these demands and any wider implications for the political landscape of Kenya. Close observation, stakeholders alike, await to see if the new Cabinet appointments that President Ruto is about to unveil can manage to satisfy expectations of transparency and efficiency aired by protesting youth.
MORE TO FOLLOW………….
