Nairobi, Kenya – July 11, 2024 By Dorrothy Moyo | In a move aimed at reducing public expenditure and enhancing government efficiency, President William Ruto has announced the immediate dismissal of all Cabinet Secretaries and the Attorney General from their posts. This drastic action comes amidst efforts to reorganize the national government executive and address pressing economic challenges.
In a detailed statement from State House, Nairobi, President Ruto outlined the significant progress his administration has made over the past two years under the Bottom Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA). Key achievements include stabilizing the economy, lowering the cost of living, and implementing major reforms in education, social welfare, and housing.
“We have achieved significant progress in increasing food production by reducing the cost of farm inputs, thereby lowering the cost of food and living,” stated President Ruto. “We have also stabilized the economy by preventing what was an imminent debt default, stabilizing fuel prices, lowering inflation, and stabilizing the foreign exchange regime, among others.”
However, the President acknowledged that recent events, particularly the withdrawal of the Finance Bill, necessitated a comprehensive review and reorganization of the budget and fiscal management. This prompted the President to use his constitutional powers to dismiss the entire Cabinet and the Attorney General, with the exception of the Prime Cabinet Secretary and the Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs.
“Upon reflection, listening keenly to what the people of Kenya have said and after a holistic appraisal of the performance of my Cabinet and its achievements and challenges, I have decided to dismiss with immediate effect all the Cabinet Secretaries and the Attorney-General from the Cabinet of the Republic of Kenya,” President Ruto announced. “This decision is necessary to accelerate and expedite the necessary, urgent and irreversible implementation of radical programmes to deal with the burden of debt, raise domestic resources, and expand job opportunities.”
The President emphasized that this decision followed extensive consultations with various sectors and political formations. “I will immediately engage in extensive consultations across different sectors and political formations, with the aim of setting up a broad-based government that will assist me in accelerating and expediting the necessary reforms,” he added.
President Ruto assured the public that during this transition, government operations will continue uninterrupted under the guidance of Principal Secretaries and other relevant officials. “During this process, the operations of government will continue uninterrupted under the guidance of Principal Secretaries and other relevant officials,” he said. He also committed to announcing additional measures in due course to further ensure the efficiency and effectiveness of his administration.
This bold move underscores President Ruto’s commitment to transforming Kenya’s governance landscape and addressing the economic challenges facing the nation. The country now awaits the next steps in this significant reorganization of the national government executive. Further updates will follow as the situation develops.