Kenyan president expands Cabinet with figures from opposition

By Andrew Wasike

NAIROBI, Kenya (AA) - In an effort to stabilize his embattled administration, Kenyan President William Ruto on Wednesday expanded his Cabinet to include four prominent opposition figures.

This strategic move comes amidst ongoing protests and increasing political pressure on Ruto’s government.

President Ruto has been forced to incorporate opposition members into his Cabinet, shifting towards a government of national unity to address the grievances of protesters and create a more inclusive government structure.

The new opposition-allied Cabinet members include John Mbadi (Finance), James Opiyo Wandayi (Energy and Petroleum), Hassan Ali Joho (Mining and Blue Economy), and Wycliffe Oparanya (Cooperatives and Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises Development).

In addition to expanding the Cabinet, President Ruto has ordered the release of all protesters who were arrested illegally.

“I urge the criminal justice agencies to take effective measures and ensure that people who may have been innocently caught, and those not implicated in crimes are released and the charges against them withdrawn,” the Kenyan leader said in a national address from State House in the capital Nairobi.

Last week, President Ruto announced the nomination of 10 Cabinet secretaries.

Ruto's administration is under intense scrutiny following weeks of violent demonstrations that resulted in at least 50 deaths and widespread property damage. The Kenyan government has also put the US-based Ford Foundation on notice, accusing the organization of funding the recent deadly anti-government protests.