Parliament Invasion and Major Political Developments in 2024

Major political developments shaped the year 2024, especially after the anti-government protests in June and July. Some of them, however, took many by surprise and shook the political landscape.

Kenyans.co.ke, in this piece, brings you some of the major developments witnessed this year.

Invasion of Parliament

Events that followed the proposal by the government to introduce contentious revenue-generating clauses in the dropped Finance Bill 2024, saw thousands of youths storm the streets to protest the decision.

These culminated in the storming of Parliament buildings on June 25 where Kenya’s security agencies were caught unawares.

The invasion also left a spat on the image of Kenya both at home and abroad after the state failed to clearly state its position on the assertions that it watched over a series of abductions, forced disappearances, and execution of hundreds of protestors.

Raila-Ruto Friendship

In July, Ruto nominated key allies of the main Opposition leader Raila Odinga to his cabinet, in a move to quell growing dissatisfaction with his government. The nominations marked the beginning of what was once viewed as an impossible political friendship.

Ruto gave four posts to the opposition – including the powerful Finance and Energy ministries. This became the first time the opposition got a chance to serve in government since Odinga took up the post of prime minister in then-President Mwai Kibaki’s Cabinet in 2008.

This was soon after the dismissal of the entire Cabinet on July 11, save for only the Deputy President and the Prime Cabinet Secretary following the pressure from the Gen Z protestors.

During his announcement, the Head of State directed the Principal Secretaries within the respective Ministries to take charge.

“Upon reflection and listening keenly to what the people of Kenya have said and after holistic appraisal of the performance of my Cabinet and its achievements and challenges,” Ruto stated in the address at State House Nairobi.

Ruto-Gachagua Fallout

When the year began, there were no visible signs that the once blossoming relationship of President Ruto and his Deputy Rigathi Gachagua would soon be over. However, there were signs for keen political observants particularly when Gachagua accused National Intelligence Service (NIS) Director General Noordin Haji of ostensibly hatching a plot to frame him and former President Uhuru Kenyatta as the key financiers and the hidden faces behind the then anti-finance-bill-protests.

Speaking during a live address to the nation from Mombasa on June 26, Gachagua stated that the plans flopped, before proceeding to call on state agencies to stop victimising leaders with divergent political views.

Several leaders within the government soon embarked on scathing attacks against Gachagua hitting at NIS despite sitting on the National Security Council(NSC) together with Haji.

The preceding events led to the start of the culmination of Gachagua’s woes, setting the ground for his subsequent impeachment by the National Assembly and the Senate on October 9.

The former one-time lawmaker made history when he became the first Deputy to ever appear in Parliament and court to defend himself from claims of gross violation of the Constitution.

Ruto-Uhuru Appeasement 

During the run-up to the 2022 general polls, the once bromance between the then President Uhuru Kenyatta and his Deputy William Ruto, took a bad turn after the two fell out.

However, nobody could imagine that the two could ever sit next to each other let alone agree to meet and agree on many issues.

This was because, during their reign, the fallout was so bad to a point that the then DP Ruto disclosed that his security detail had been withdrawn and was sidelined on key government decisions. However on December 9, the unimaginable happened when the two agreed to meet and talk on a number of issues.

According to the State House, Ruto took the time to appreciate his predecessor during the meeting for the smooth transition of power after the 2022 Presidential elections.

“President Ruto thanked Uhuru Kenyatta for laying a strong foundation that enabled the government to implement key programs under the Bottom-Up Economic transformation agenda,” the statement from State House read.

Cabinet Proliferation

From what appeared as a deal having been reached following the successive talk between Uhuru and Ruto, the latter made further changes to his Cabinet. 

Among those appointed included allies to his enemy-turned-friend Uhuru Kenyatta. This saw a reshuffle of his Cabinet on December 19. 

Ruto nominated Kipchumba Murkomen as his new Interior CS. The other new entrants into the Cabinet included former CS Mutahi Kagwe (Agriculture), Lee Kinyanjui (Trade), and William Kabogo (ICT).