11 (EUROPA PRESS)
Kenyan President William Ruto announced Thursday that he would dissolve his government and dismiss the Attorney General following recent protests over a controversial tax hike bill that left nearly ten dead and led the president to shelve the bill after it was approved by Parliament.
During a press conference from the Kenyan presidency, Ruto argued that “recent events” have marked “a turning point” and stressed that “after reflecting on it” and given the “achievements and difficulties” of the Government, he has opted to “immediately dismiss all ministers and the attorney general.”
The president has however clarified that the decision does not affect the foreign minister or the vice president’s office, before promising a process of “consultations” with the aim of establishing a “broad-based” government to deal with the economic situation in the African country.
He stressed that his goal is to “accelerate” the implementation of his economic proposals, including the implementation of “radical measures” to “tackle the debt burden” and “increase job opportunities”, while arguing that the authorities have managed to “stabilise the economy, avoiding what was an imminent default”.
“Even with the progress we have made, I am very aware that the Kenyan people have very high expectations of me (…) and believe that this administration can bring about the most extensive transformation in the history of our country,” Ruto said during his appearance, broadcast by the Kenyan Presidency through its Facebook account.
The Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC) said in a statement that “all those responsible for the ongoing atrocities, including outgoing ministers and current security chiefs, must be brought to justice.”
“Each candidate for the new cabinet must be of impeccable integrity as required by Article 73 of the Kenyan Constitution. The vetting process must be rigorous and transparent,” he said, adding that “those responsible for violations and abuses both before and after the August 2022 general elections” should be blacklisted.
The Commission has also demanded the resignation of Chief of Staff Musalia Mudavadi. “He has turned 60 and Ruto himself stated last week that anyone who reaches this age should allow a transition to take place,” it said.
“Kenyans must prepare for the removal of MPs who backed the 2024 Finance Bill and those involved in other constitutional violations. The dissolution of Parliament must be done urgently,” he added.
The protests erupted after parliament approved a fiscal package that included a sharp rise in taxes, prompting authorities to order the deployment of the army to support security forces amid allegations of excessive use of force against protesters.
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