Ayesha Nyanzunda
Kenyan President, William Ruto has fired his entire cabinet with the exception of the foreign minister, in response to widespread protests that have caused the most serious crisis of his two-year tenure.
The youth-led protests against proposed tax hikes began peacefully but quickly turned deadly, killing at least 39 people in clashes with police last month.
Some activists briefly invaded parliament before Ruto dropped the new taxes.
“I will immediately begin extensive consultations with various sectors, political formations, and other Kenyans, both in public and private, with the goal of establishing a broad-based government,” Ruto said in a televised address to the nation(Kenya Television Network).
He also dismissed the attorney general, but said the office of the deputy president was not affected.He added that he would announce additional measures later.
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has demanded that Ruto cut deficits as the cost of living is on the rise. According to the IMF, an increase in the cost of living is putting a strain on a hard-pressed population.
His plan to fill the nearly $2.7 billion budget hole created by the withdrawal of the tax hikes last week included spending cuts and additional borrowing in roughly equal measure.