Kenya’s Foreign Minister Alfred Mutua has been demoted after criticism over plans to send police to Haiti to fight gangs.
Raila Odinga, Kenya’s main opposition leader, was the most recent to speak out against the deployment, claiming that it would endanger the lives of Kenyan police officers.
Mr. Mutua’s relegation to tourism minister was part of President William Ruto’s first significant cabinet reshuffle.
In August, the president chastised some of his ministers for their lack of knowledge.
Mr. Ruto entered office in August of last year, promising to boost the economy and improve the lives of lower-income individuals.
However, he has faced a succession of opposition-led rallies over rising living costs and tax increases.
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”.
The president on Tuesday 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. As foreign minister, Mr. Mutua was a vocal supporter of a Kenyan-led peacekeeping mission to Haiti.
He recently said that about 1,000 police would be deployed “within a short time”. The UN Security Council approved the deployment of the force on Tuesday.
Mr. Ruto welcomed its decision, but did not mention when the police would be sent. Some Kenyan MPs have demanded parliamentary approval before the deployment.
The defence and security ministers, who have been quiet about the planned Haiti deployment, were not affected by the reshuffle.
Mr. Odinga, in an interview with privately-owned KTN News, said the situation in Haiti was too dangerous for Kenyan police.
In another notable change in the reshuffle, Trade Minister Moses Kuria was moved to the public service portfolio.
He has been replaced by Rebecca Miano, who was the minister in charge of relations with the East African Community (EAC).
Mr. Kuria was snubbed by US Trade Representative Katherine Tai, who refused to meet him during her visit to Kenya in July.
Ms. Tai apparently objected to foul language Mr. Kuria had used against the Kenyan media and opposition.
Mr. Kuria was also involved in controversy over the operations of a popular Chinese-owned shop near Kenya’s capital, Nairobi.
The shop was temporarily closed after Mr. Kuria accused it of taking away business from local traders by selling goods too cheaply.
Mr. Ruto re-deployed several permanent secretaries and foreign ambassadors. He also appointed former Senator Isaac Mwaura as government spokesperson.
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