Kenya’s new government officially took office on October 27, two months after the presidential election and a month after the runoff, while criticism of the new president’s performance does not cease, especially with reference to the lack of action on the economy.
“Failure is not an option,” President William Ruto said at the first meeting of the council of ministers – 22 in the new government – promising to address the cost of living and economic issues more generally as soon as possible (https://www.africanews.com/2022/10/27/kenyas-new-cabinet-sworn-in-two-months-after-vote/).
The new government received a vote of confidence the previous day, with the favorable and unanimous vote of the members of parliament, with the exception of the only vote for the minister of tourism, Penina Malonza.
However, the challenges announced by Ruto in the election campaign are difficult to solve, and the president has asked a year to succeed in bringing the price of flour to a lower value than today, while the challenge of reducing the public debt and the country’s large international financial exposures is demanding.
Political oppositions to the government, on the other hand, have promised to give battle to the new executive on the issue of authorizing the importation of genetically modified (GMO) foods, challenging Ruto’s revocation of the measure imposing a 10-year moratorium on the use of such food categories in the country (https://www.theeastafrican.co.ke/tea/news/east-africa/kenya-opposition-pushes-back-plan-to-promote-gmos-4001964).
