PRESIDENT RUTO APPOINTS OPPOSITION MINISTERS TO HIS CABINET AMID POLITICAL UNREST.(PHOTO).

 President Ruto appoints opposition ministers to his Cabinet amid political unrest

Kenya’s President William Ruto on Wednesday appointed four members of the main opposition party as part of a new cabinet as protests continue to rock the East African nation.

He announced the nominees in an address to the nation, which came weeks after he scrapped the previous cabinet as the protests, prompted by planned tax hikes, swelled.

The opposition figures appointed to the new cabinet are allies of political veteran Raila Odinga, whom Ruto defeated in elections in 2022.

John Mbadi Ngo’ongo will lead the finance ministry and James Opiyo Wandayi was named energy minister.

However, the majority of the 20 appointees announced so far were members of the disbanded cabinet, and reports suggest this has angered some.

The president on Wednesday lauded political parties for “their willingness to set aside partisan positions and interests in order to join a visionary partnership for the radical transformation of Kenya is a historic gesture of their patriotism.”

Despite Ruto’s hope that a new cabinet, and the inclusion of opposition figures, would help defuse anger, significant scepticism remains.

The mostly young protesters who have largely led the demonstrations, which already forced Ruto to withdraw the tax hikes, have voiced opposition to a unity government.

They said a deal between the rival camps would only perpetuate a tradition of leaders co-opting the opposition with jobs and perks while the population sees no benefits.

An activist Hanifa Aden wrote on X after the Cabinet appointments, “we are the new opposition.”

The weeks of turmoil in East Africa’s economic hub have led to dozens of deaths, the firing of most Cabinet members and calls for Ruto’s resignation. Protests began with Kenyans’ rejecting a proposed bill to impose more taxes as millions in the country barely get by amid rising prices.