Kenyan President Ruto announces skeletal cabinet

Kenya’s embattled President William Ruto on Friday named a partial new cabinet as he starts a process to form a “broad-based” government, after a month of widespread and sometimes deadly protests against his administration.

In a televised address, Ruto unveiled the names of 11 proposed ministers, after last week sacking almost his entire cabinet as he seeks to contain the worst crisis of his nearly two-year presidency.

While the events of the past month have caused tremendous anxiety, concern and uncertainty, the crisis has presented us with a great opportunity, as a nation, to craft a broad-based, and inclusive citizen coalition for national transformation and progress, made up of Kenyans from all walks of life,” Ruto said.

“Consequently, I have started the process of forming a new broad-based cabinet to assist in driving the urgently needed and irreversible transformation of our country.”

He put forward 11 names for cabinet ministers and the attorney general that will go before parliament for approval.

However, several of those nominated were members of the previous government, including Kithure Kindiki at the head of the interior ministry, which is in charge of Kenya’s under-fire police force.

-VOA