Kenyan youths have dismissed President William Ruto’s decision to sack most of his cabinet members, with some warning that they would resume street protests if he fails to step down.
Recent protests in the country have plunged Ruto’s administration into the most serious crisis of his two-year presidency, forcing him to abandon the finance bill containing the tax hikes.
In the latest move to defuse tensions, Ruto dismissed all cabinet ministers, including the Attorney-General, except for Foreign Minister Musalia Mudavadi and Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua.
However, the announcement, while welcomed by some, did not appease some young Kenyans frustrated with Ruto’s failure to deliver on his 2022 election promise to create jobs and boost their fortunes.
President Ruto has been scrambling to contain the fallout of deadly protests against proposed tax hikes after last month’s peaceful rallies snowballed into violence and tapped into widespread anger against his government.
The protest which was initially peaceful sharply escalated when police fired at crowds who stormed parliament, ransacking and partly set the complex ablaze.
While large-scale street protests have subsided, anger against the government has not, particularly towards the police, with rights groups claiming that 39 people were killed in the demonstrations.
