President Ruto slashes the number of government advisors by 50%

NAIROBI, Kenya, July 5-President William Ruto is set to cut the number of advisors in government by half.
The head of state also disclosed that the confidential budget including the State House budget has also been slashed by 50 percent.

This comes hot on the heels of the nationwide protest that started with Kenyan rejecting parliament’s passage of the controversial 2024finance bill.

“The number of advisors in government shall be reduced by 50 percent within the public service with immediate effect. Budget lines providing for the operations of the office of the first lady, spouse of the deputy president, and the prime cabinet secretary will be removed,” he said.

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Likewise, Ruto disclosed that he has suspended the consideration of Chief Administrative Secretaries (CAS) positions as well as the dissolution of 47 State corporations with overlapping functions to align with the austerity measures necessitated by the suspension of the 2024 Finance Bill.

He emphasized the necessity of these changes, citing overwhelming feedback from Kenyans through nationwide demonstrations over the past three weeks.

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Earlier, Ruto said that the National Treasury is reorganizing the budget to accommodate the new reality.
This will involve substantial budget cuts to balance what can be implemented immediately and what can wait, ensuring that key national programs are not affected.

“Our plan is good and solid and, in the fullness of time, we shall be vindicated,” President Ruto said. He declined to sign the Financial Bill, sending it back to Parliament for withdrawal.