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Kenyan President William Ruto has announced a partial cabinet reshuffle in response to ongoing mass protests.

What Happened: President William Ruto has dismissed nearly his entire cabinet, retaining only the Prime Cabinet Secretary and the Foreign Affairs Minister. The partial reshuffle includes 11 new appointments.

Why Now?: For the past two months, Kenya has been rocked by large-scale protests initially sparked by a controversial finance bill proposing tax hikes. After initially refusing to drop the proposed taxes, a significant number of Kenyans took to the streets and stormed government buildings. President Ruto eventually withdrew the proposed tax hikes following intense public backlash, violent demonstrations, and concerns that Kenya was on the verge of experiencing a coup attempt.

Where Things Stand: Despite withdrawing the tax hikes and announcing new government reforms, a significant portion of the population continues to demand President Ruto’s resignation. Many are directly accusing him and his family of corruption.

A Bigger Problem: Clashes between protesters and police have resulted in numerous casualties, with reports indicating at least 41 deaths and hundreds of injuries. These deaths, along with the injured protesters and mass arrests, have sparked a new movement that extends beyond the initial protests against tax hikes.

Digging Deeper: Kenyan President William Ruto has faced allegations of corruption stemming from his involvement in various scandals, including land grabbing and questionable financial dealings. Critics argue that his wealth and political influence have grown disproportionately compared to his known sources of income, raising concerns about the potential misuse of public funds and abuse of power for personal gain.