Kenya’s Foreign Minister Demoted over Controversial Police Deployment to Haiti
Kenya’s Foreign Minister, Alfred Mutua, has been demoted as controversy rages over plans to deploy police to Haiti to fight gangs.
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.
Mr. Mutua’s demotion was part of the first major cabinet reshuffle by President William Ruto. In August, the President criticized some of his minister as clueless.
The President said in a statement on Wednesday that the reshuffle was meant to “optimize performance and enhance delivery as set out in the administration’s manifesto”.
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In another notable change in the reshuffle, Trade Minister Moses Kuria was moved to the public service portfolio. Additionally, he has been replaced by Rebecca Miano, who previously held the position of minister in charge of relations with the East African Community (EAC).
Furthermore, it’s worth noting that Mr. Kuria faced challenges during his tenure, including a refusal to meet with US Trade Representative Katherine Tai during her visit to Kenya in July. This decision by Ms. Tai reportedly stemmed from objections to the strong language Mr. Kuria had directed towards the Kenyan media and opposition.
Moreover, Mr. Kuria was also embroiled in a controversy concerning the operations of a popular Chinese-owned shop near Kenya’s capital, Nairobi. The shop was temporarily closed after Mr. Kuria accused it of undercutting local traders by selling goods at excessively low prices.
