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Ruto says unnecessary offices to be scrapped in next financial year

President William Ruto during a press Briefing at State House, Nairobi, on June 25, 2024, after a day of deadly protests. (Photo: REUTERS/Monicah Mwangi)

By Lucy Mumbi | Sunday, June 30, 2024

The president also responded to concerns about government officials distributing millions of shillings in church harambees and living lavish lifestyles.

President William Ruto has announced plans to reduce the number of government advisers, ministries, and state departments in response to public outcry over the Finance Bill, 2024.

Speaking on Sunday during a live roundtable with the media, Ruto said he will implement the cuts in the new financial year beginning in July so that the country can live within its means.

“You will see something very different going into the future. I know people have raised issues like CASs. I did not appoint CAS and no CAS will be appointed until we have an economy that can support more opportunities," he said in the interview at the State House in Nairobi with Linus Kaikai (Citizen TV), Joe Ageyo (NTV), and Eric Latiff (KTN).

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"I know citizens have said there’s no need for the offices of the First Lady, Second Lady, Office of the Spouse of Prime Cabinet Secretary ... and these were offices that were there. But because we have to live within our means, those offices from tomorrow will not be part of the equation because, in the face of what has happened, we have to trim every area."

President William Ruto: You will see something very different going into the future.

Citizens have said offices such as First Lady, and Second Lady, (Office of Spouse of Prime Cabinet Secretary) were offices that were there. And they will not be part of the equation. We have to… pic.twitter.com/SXqyYD9fld
— The Eastleigh Voice (@Eastleighvoice) June 30, 2024

Protesters, the majority of them Gen Zs, had called on the Executive to obey all court orders and scrap the illegal and illegitimate Chief Administrative Secretary (CAS) position, as well as the public funding of the Office of the First Lady, Second Lady and Prime Cabinet Secretary’s spouse, and redirect those funds to employing teachers and doctors.

The protesters also insisted that MPs should not earn more than doctors, that the school feeding programme be restored, and that all government officials use government vehicles, trains, and aeroplanes.

The president also responded to concerns about government officials, such as Kapseret MP Oscar Sudi, distributing millions of shillings in church harambees and living lavish lifestyles.

Ruto said he had had discussions with lawmakers in the ruling United Democratic Alliance (UDA) regarding banning harambees, for example, as part of efforts to tame corruption.

“We are going to do away with harambees because when a junior state officer donates Sh20 million, there is something fundamentally wrong. That is wrong,” he said