President Ruto scraps first lady’s budget after nationwide protest
President William Ruto of Kenya has scrapped the budget for the office of the first lady after widespread protests across the country.
Ruto announced his plan to discontinue the funding for the First Lady’s office, as well as other unnecessary offices, in an effort to control government spending in a live broadcast.
“Previous administrations have maintained offices such as that of the First Lady, but starting Tuesday, we will be doing away with these positions to ensure financial responsibility,” he stated.
Additionally, the President confirmed that Chief Administrative Secretary (CAS) positions will not be filled following a court ruling that deemed the positions unconstitutional.
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“In response to the court’s decision regarding CAS appointments, we have decided to respect that ruling. No CAS will be appointed until our economy is able to accommodate more job opportunities,” he said.
Ruto had nominated 50 Chief Administrative Secretaries (CASs) to take up roles in government, but a legal challenge filed in court contested the legitimacy of these appointments.
If parliament had endorsed these nominees, it would have resulted in an annual expenditure of Sh460 million in total salaries, borne by the taxpayers.
The head of state also vowed to control the excessive spending and luxurious lifestyles among Kenya Kwanza leaders, pledging to implement reforms that will ensure responsible allocation and management of resources.
“I promise you, watch this space. Going forward you will see changes because we must do something about opulence and extravagance. We are going to take measures that will put us in the right place,” he said.
