Kenyan president appoints opposition ministers to his Cabinet amid political unrest

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NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — Kenya’s president on Wednesday incorporated the opposition in his new Cabinet, appointing four ministers from the main opposition party in a bid to form a broad-based government that would address governance issues raised in deadly protests.

President William Ruto on Wednesday appointed the minority leader in parliament and opposition leader Raila Odinga’s party chairman in his new Cabinet despite a split in the opposition coalition that saw other parties distance themselves from government talks.

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.

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.”

Odinga, who earlier called for talks to calm the unrest, on Tuesday denied allegations that he had been bribed to join Ruto in forming a broad-based government. He expressed his support to protesters adding that there would only be dialogue after the president adheres to the demands from demonstrators.

His party’s secretary general in a statement on Tuesday said there was no ongoing negotiations to join the Ruto administration and that any member seeking minister position should know they were in contravention to the party’s position.

The opposition coalition do not lead the protests, which are led by young people who use social media to mobilize. But it has been in support of demonstrators, stating that the bad governance issues being raised were in line with the opposition’s proposals to the government during previous opposition-led protests.

Ruto has promised to make changes in his government that would include cracking down on corrupt officials and those displaying opulence amidst the cost-of-living crisis.

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

At least 50 people have died and 413 others have been injured in the protests since June 18, according to the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights.