Kenya’s President William Ruto has brought more opposition leaders into his cabinet, a move seen as his attempt to strengthen his grip on power amid growing criticism of his government.
Ruto recently met with his former rival and predecessor, Uhuru Kenyatta, in an unexpected meeting, months after he had already appointed supporters of opposition leader Raila Odinga into his government. Kenyatta had supported Odinga in the tight 2022 election against Ruto.
Ruto explained that he is working with his former opponents to foster national unity, build bridges, and create more harmony within his government. However, many believe that this move is aimed at improving his government’s popularity, especially in central Kenya, which has turned against him following the recent impeachment of Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua.
The anger against Ruto’s government reached a peak in June when mass anti-tax protests forced him to withdraw a finance bill that included higher taxes. Over the past two years, Ruto has introduced new taxes on salaries, doubled the sales tax on fuel, and added taxes for housing and health insurance, which many Kenyans have yet to benefit from. Ruto argues that these taxes are necessary to manage the debt he inherited from Kenyatta.
In July, Ruto reshuffled his cabinet, hoping to end the deadly protests and resolve tensions with his deputy, Gachagua. The new cabinet included four members from Odinga’s camp, including those in charge of finance and energy.
However, Ruto’s government faced another crisis in October when Gachagua was impeached, leading to public arguments between their supporters. The two had been elected together in 2022, with their alliance helping Ruto win by securing the support of central Kenya, which is home to the influential Kikuyu community.
To address the growing political crisis, Ruto visited Kenyatta at his home in central Kenya last week, ahead of the 2027 elections. Shortly after, Ruto named three of Kenyatta’s allies to his cabinet, including former health minister Mutahi Kagwe, who was appointed to lead the agriculture ministry, and former governors Lee Kinyanjui and William Kabogo, who were given the trade and communication ministries.
These appointments are seen as Ruto’s way of calming the Mount Kenya region, which has become increasingly hostile toward him and his allies, especially after the removal of Gachagua.
“It was meant to counter the political damage caused in central Kenya after Gachagua’s impeachment,” political analyst Herman Manyora told the BBC.
n a recent reshuffle, Sports Minister Kipchumba Murkomen, a close ally of President Ruto, was moved to the influential position of Interior Minister. This shuffle also saw two ministers removed from their positions.
Once approved, three new nominees will join four members of opposition leader Raila Odinga’s ODM party, who have already been part of Ruto’s government since July. This means that opposition parties now make up a third of the 21 cabinet ministers.
Ruto has also appointed opposition figures to lead several important state agencies, including the department responsible for collecting taxes.
Meanwhile, Odinga is facing strong criticism, especially from young people who were involved in the protests back in June. They accuse him of betraying them. Odinga, however, says that he only provided experts to help the president stabilize the country.
Despite these efforts, Ruto is still under heavy criticism for how the public sector is performing and for allegations of human rights abuses, including widespread arrests and disappearances during the protests.
Some young people are also opposing the unity government and are using the hashtag #RutoMustGo. They argue that an agreement between the political leaders will only benefit them, not the people.
Church leaders, who strongly supported Ruto in the 2022 elections, are also voicing dissatisfaction with his leadership. A recent survey by Mzalendo Trust showed that the high cost of living and unemployment are major factors behind the public’s frustration with his administration.
Ruto has responded by blaming fake news for his unpopularity and accusing his critics of having “evil spirits.” Some analysts, like Mr. Manyora, believe that the growing unity among top politicians might actually make people angrier and lead to more protests against Ruto’s government.
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“It is an attempt to assemble political dynasties, big boys coming together to cover each other’s back and gang against the people of Kenya which might make things worse for Ruto,” Manyora added.
Ruto rose to the presidency promising to improve the lives of Kenya’s poor – especially young people he nicknamed “hustlers” – fighting what he regarded as an attempt by two of Kenya’s biggest dynasties – the Kenyattas and Odingas – to hang on to power.
However, some of those Kenyans who had hoped for a new political era are starting to lose hope.