Kenya’s Foreign Minister Alfred Mutua has been demoted as controversy rages over plans to deploy police to Haiti to fight gangs.
Main opposition leader Raila Odinga was the latest to oppose the move, saying the deployment would risk the lives of Kenyan police.
Mr Mutua’s demotion to tourism minister was part of the first major cabinet reshuffle by President William Ruto.
In August, the president criticised some of his ministers as clueless.
Mr Ruto took office in August last year with the promise to improve the economy and better the lives of lower-income earners.
But he has faced a series of opposition-led protests over the high cost of living and tax hikes.
The president said in a statement late on Wednesday that the reshuffle was meant to “optimise performance and enhance delivery as set out in the administration’s manifesto”.
On Tuesday, the president cracked down on government spending and foreign travel, ordering ministries to cut their spending by 10%.
Mr Ruto re-assigned Mr Mutua to the tourism ministry and put the foreign affairs ministry under the office of the Prime Cabinet Secretary, which falls under his close ally, Musalia Mudavadi.
The move is seen as an attempt to give Mr Ruto’s inner circle more influence over diplomatic affairs.
Source: BBC
