♦️In a U-turn from his earlier position where he vowed not to nominate any opposition member to his cabinet, President William Ruto has since extended an olive branch to the opposition.
President William Ruto has unveiled the second batch of his cabinet picks, including several prominent figures from the opposition ODM party.
This move is seen as an attempt to achieve national unity after weeks of anti-government protests.
The new cabinet appointments include:
- Wycliffe Oparanya, ODM Deputy Party leader, who will head the Ministry of Cooperatives and MSMEs Development, overseeing Ruto’s flagship Hustler Fund.
- Ali Hassan Joho, former Mombasa Governor, who will serve in the Ministry of Mining, Blue Economy and Maritime Affairs.
- John Mbadi, ODM Party Chairman, who will now shape Kenya’s fiscal policy as the new Cabinet Secretary for National Treasury and Economic Planning.
- James Opiyo Wandayi, ODM’s director of political affairs and National Assembly Minority Leader, who will take charge of the Energy and Petroleum Ministry.
Despite the appointments, ODM has distanced itself from the move, stating that any party member who joins the Kenya Kwanza cabinet is doing so “without the blessing or support of the Party.”
In a tweet, ODM’s James Orengo said that “taking position in the name of ODM betrays the principles of the constitution and the progressive movement of the party.”
The inclusion of these senior ODM politicians in Ruto’s cabinet is seen as a bold move to bridge the divide between the government and the opposition, as the president aims to achieve national unity after a tumultuous period of protests.
