How Gen Z protests forced President Ruto to broaden his Cabinet, co-opt Raila’s ODM in government
However, co-opting of Raila Odinga’s ODM in government, formerly in opposition, has done little to quell the growing public discontent against the Kenya Kwanza administration with political leaders, youth and religious leaders calling an end to bad governance, corruption, suppression of dissenting voices and police brutality
Half of President William Ruto’s Cabinet that was with him last year, such as this time, are no longer in the Cabinet, with prominent names such as former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua missing this year’s annual cabinet, yet he delivered the keynote address on the closure of the Naivasha retreat last year.
The new look of the cabinet is a reflection of the uproar caused by the youth-led protests against the government last year after a transition from the anti-finance bill protests, which saw the young people storm the parliament, threatening to march to the State House.
However, co-opting of Raila Odinga’s ODM in government, formerly in opposition, has done little to quell the growing public discontent against the Kenya Kwanza administration with political leaders, youth and religious leaders calling an end to bad governance, corruption, suppression of dissenting voices and police brutality.
To diffuse the widespread unrest in the country, President Ruto bowed to the Gen Z pressure and dissolved the cabinet in July last year, paving the way for the formation of a loose coalition with the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM).
Ruto appointed five members of the ODM party, which is led by former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, to the Cabinet as the protests ebbed in July.
The President was seen to flex his new political muscle in October last year when he successfully orchestrated the impeachment of Gachagua as Deputy President and replaced him with former Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki.
However, Ruto attributed his troubles partly to the Gen Z protests, alleging a conspiracy involving the National Intelligence Service boss to implicate him in the mobilization and financing.
At least three of his aides and two Members of Parliament allied to him were in July questioned by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations over their alleged role in the protests, a month after President Ruto termed the attack on parliament ‘treasonous’ and vowed to crack down on the organizers and financiers.
In further reorganisations in a bid to ‘lure’ in the Mount Kenya region, which had become hostile after the impeachment of Gachagua, three members of the Jubilee Party, led by former President Uhuru Kenyatta, joined the Cabinet, and dozens of opposition members were handed executive-level principal secretary posts.
Early this year, in a move to strengthen his government in a way still recovering from the Gen Z anti-government protest and a ‘hostile’ Mount Kenya region, Ruto and Raila signed a Memorandum of Understanding to work together in a bid to calm the country.
The Chants of ‘RutoMustGo’ had become many that even in night clubs, people paused to chant with crowds he (the President) broke and chanted that he must go.
But critics have faulted him for weakening the opposition, with the alliance with ODM handing the President an absolute majority in Parliament.
As civil Societies, young people of the Z generation, have lined up processions today, to mark the first anniversary of the 63 youths who were killed during the protests, they have maintained that the ODM leader, Raila Odinga, hijacked their bid to champion for good governance in the country.
Gen Zs have maintained that they will not forgive those who traded justice for power, including their own, who aligned into political camps of Raila and Gachagua.
But even with defections and detentions, the movement lives on as they maintain that they are fighting for the future of a country they desire.
