Nairobi — Immediate former Defence Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has expressed his gratitude to President William Ruto for appointing him to the position, which he held for less than two years.
President Ruto dismissed his entire Cabinet on Thursday, following pressure from Gen Z youths demanding change.
"I extend my heartfelt gratitude to His Excellency President William Ruto for entrusting me with the role of Cabinet Secretary for Defence in the first Kenya Kwanza Administration," Duale said. "I am deeply honoured and will forever be indebted to him and the people of Kenya for this opportunity to serve our great nation."
In announcing the changes on Thursday, President Ruto stated that only his Deputy Rigathi Gachagua and Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi, who now oversees the Foreign Affairs docket, will remain.
"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, in line with the powers given to me by Article 152(1) and 152(5)(b) of the Constitution and Section 12 of the Office of the Attorney-General Act, decided to dismiss with immediate effect all the Cabinet Secretaries and the Attorney-General from the Cabinet of the Republic of Kenya except the Prime Cabinet Secretary and Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs," Ruto said. "But my Deputy is not affected."
He added that Principal Secretaries will manage the respective ministries until a new Cabinet is named.
Ruto has pledged additional measures, indicating further government restructuring, which is likely to impact more inefficient officials.
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
The changes follow weeks of sustained pressure from Gen Z youths, who demanded an overhaul of the government, citing the failure of many Cabinet Secretaries. What began as a rejection of the controversial Finance Bill 2024 quickly escalated into calls for a complete government overhaul, with the Gen Z youth now demanding, "Ruto Must Go."
The protests ultimately led President Ruto to decline to sign the bill into law. The demonstrations, which saw tens of thousands of youths take to the streets, resulted in violent clashes with police forces, leading to tragic outcomes. More than 40 protesters were killed, and over 300 others were injured in the worst police brutality seen in the country, sparking widespread condemnation both locally and internationally.
In response to the unrest, President Ruto announced a six-day multi-sectoral convention set to kick off on Monday. The forum aims to bring together religious institutions, civil society, professional organizations, political parties, and other stakeholders.
However, this initiative has sparked outrage from the Gen Z youth, who accuse "old men" of hijacking their movement for change to benefit themselves. They have particularly singled out Azimio leader Raila Odinga, who has historically signed deals with various governments since the regime of the late President Daniel Arap Moi, through to Mwai Kibaki, and the former government of Uhuru Kenyatta.
