November 23, 2005. Retired President, the late Mwai Kibaki, dropped a bombshell, sending home all his Cabinet Ministers and their assistants. No one was spared.
Kibaki made the announcement days after failing to deliver a new constitution for Kenyans as he had promised, a move which was opposed by some of his own Cabinet Ministers.
During the announcement, Kibaki did not mince his words. He attributed the change to the outcome of the referendum in which Kenyans voted to reject the constitution proposed by his government.
“Following the results of the Referendum, it has become necessary for me, as the President of the Republic, to reorganise my Government to make it more cohesive and better able to serve the people of Kenya,” Kibaki said.
“I have directed that the Offices of all Ministers and all Assistant Ministers become vacant. Consequently, the occupants of the said offices cease to hold their respective offices with immediate effect.”
The then Vice President Moody Awori was spared to run government affairs assisted by permanent secretaries.
The opposition and some of Kibaki’s Cabinet Ministers had convinced at least 57 per cent of voters to reject the proposed new constitution, while 43 per cent supported the draft.
Seven Cabinet Ministers campaigned against the draft including Raila Odinga, Kalonzo Musyoka, William Ole Ntimama, Lina Kilimo, Ochilo Ayacko, Najib Balala and Prof Anyang Nyong’o. Others, who supported the government, found themselves paying for the sins of the seven rebels.
Ruto sacks cabinet
On Thursday, July 11, 2024, President William Ruto followed in the footsteps of Kibaki and fired the entire Cabinet, only sparing Prime Cabinet Secretary and the Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs Musalia Mudavadi and Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua.
Just like Kibaki, Ruto announced that Principal Secretaries have been tasked with running the ministries until a new cabinet is constituted.
“Upon reflection, listening keenly to what the people of Kenya have said and after a holistic appraisal of the performance of my Cabinet and its achievements and challenges, I have, in line with the powers given to me by Article 152(1) and 152(5)(b) of the Constitution and Section 12 of the Office of the Attorney-General Act, decided to dismiss with immediate effect all the Cabinet Secretaries and the Attorney-General from the Cabinet of the Republic of Kenya except the Prime Cabinet Secretary and Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs,” Ruto announced.
Ruto says he is engaging in consultations across different sectors and political formations, with the aim of setting up a broad-based government.
“I will immediately engage in extensive consultations across different sectors and political formations, with the aim of setting up a broad-based government that will assist me in accelerating and expediting the necessary, urgent and irreversible, implementation of radical programmes to deal with the burden of debt, raising domestic resources, expanding job opportunities, eliminate wastage and unnecessary duplication of a multiplicity of government agencies and slay the dragon of corruption consequently making the government lean, inexpensive, effective and efficient,” he added.