- Generation Z had insisted that they would continue to occupy the Nairobi Central Business District until changes were made.
- The young people have held demonstrations across the country for the last three weeks.
Image: FILE
The young people known as Generation Zoomers (Gen Zs) won big on Thursday when President William Ruto dissolved his Cabinet.
Despite saying they were leaderless and partyless, the well-organised Gen Z has forced the president to fire his Cabinet.
The Gen Zs rejected President William Ruto's dialogue calls and insisted that he disband the cabinet after weeks of countrywide protests.
The Gen Zs had taken the country by storm, holding protests across the country to demand far-reaching reforms including sacking his Cabinet Secretaries.
On Wednesday, Ruto said he had decided upon the holistic reflection of the performance of his cabinet.
The president said he was aware that despite the achievements made by the government thus far, Kenyans expect a lot from his administration.
"I am acutely aware that the people of Kenya have high expectations of me and they believe that this admiration can take the most extensive transformation of our country," Ruto said in a national address from State House.
The President said that the exit of the cabinet will not occasion any challenges in the delivery of government services.
"During this process, services will continue uninterrupted under the leadership of the Principal sectaries," Ruto said.
When the Gen Zs first took to the streets, their rallying call was crystal clear, to reject Finance Bill 2024.
The protesters took to different social media platforms to express their frustration with the Kenya Kwanza government.
The protests evolved into a call for accountability in government with both elected and appointed public servants being put on notice over their conduct.
After days of sustained pressure, President Ruto was convinced, to reconsider his stand on the Finance Bill that would have seen Kenyans dig deeper in their pockets to fund government operations.
He rejected the Bill, asking Parliament to withdraw it in its entirety.
The young people later came up with more demands that they wanted to be addressed by the government.
Top of the list posted online and designated “non-negotiable" was the call for the Executive to obey all court orders and scrap the illegal and illegitimate Chief Administrative Secretary position.
Ruto later announced that he had suspended the recruitment of CAS officers.
Gen Zs also called for the removal of public funding for the Office of the First Lady, Second Lady and Prime Cabinet Secretary’s Spouse, and instead, asking that the money be redirected to employing teachers and doctors.
The President later accepted the demand and scrapped the budget.
The list calls for the immediate firing of all government officials with criminal records and integrity issues while being advised to constitute the IEBC within the next 30 days and employ JSS teachers and intern doctors.
The President on Tuesday signed the IEBC Bill into law and has promised to employ the JSS teachers this year.
More demands have been made for the reduction of Members of Parliaments’ salaries and allowances, capping them at Sh200,000.
The protesters insisted that MPs should not earn more than doctors, and are also called for the restoration of the school feeding programme.
To curb wastage, the list advised that all government officials should use government vehicles, trains and aeroplanes.