Kenya’s Historic Cabinet Reshuffle

Welcome back to World Brief, where we’re looking at Kenya’s major cabinet reshuffle, Ukraine’s plea for aid at the European Political Community Summit, and Ugandan opposition leader Bobi Wine’s statement that he is being held under house arrest.

Kenyan President William Ruto announced his first major cabinet reshuffle late Wednesday. According to Ruto, the change-up was to “optimize performance and enhance delivery” of the administration’s agenda after he called his ministers clueless in August.

Among the numerous positions altered, Foreign Minister Alfred Mutua was demoted to tourism minister. In his place, the Office of the Prime Cabinet Secretary—led by Ruto’s close ally, Musalia Mudavadi—will oversee foreign policy. Mutua has long been a vocal supporter of deploying Kenyan police to Haiti to quell gang violence in the nation’s capital. But popular support for foreign intervention has soured, particularly after opposition leader Raila Odinga condemned the deployment, saying it would unnecessarily risk Kenyan lives.

“When coffins start arriving here, that’s when we shall regret” sending Kenyan forces, Odinga said. “Haiti is dangerous, and there’s a possibility our police will encounter problems there.”

On Monday, the United Nations Security Council approved Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry’s request for foreign intervention. Nairobi is set to send 1,000 police officers to Port-au-Prince in the coming months as part of a broader Kenyan-led multinational force. However, some Kenyan lawmakers have demanded parliamentary approval for the deployment. Kenya’s defense and security ministers were not affected by the reshuffle and have remained silent on Kenya’s Haiti decision.

Mutua was not the only top minister to be booted from his job. Trade Minister Moses Kuria was moved to Kenya’s public sector portfolio after a series of scandals rocked his international reputation. In July, U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai refused to meet with Kuria, reportedly over his use of foul language against Kenya’s opposition and independent media, and called him an “extremist,” sources told the Nation. Kuria was also criticized for his handling of a controversy involving a Chinese-owned discount store accused of undercutting local businesses and for insensitive remarks he made about the country’s rising cost of living.

Ruto came to power in September 2022 by campaigning on improving the nation’s floundering economy. But since taking office, Ruto has been plagued by opposition protests over regular tax hikes and high inflation. On Tuesday, Ruto ordered government ministries to cut spending by 10 percent and cracked down on unnecessary foreign travel by officials.

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Seeking aid. European leaders from 47 nations gathered in Granada, Spain, on Thursday for the European Political Community Summit. Top agenda items covered artificial intelligence, Russia’s war in Ukraine, energy use, and migration. But tensions between Armenia and Azerbaijan as well as Serbia and Kosovo were expected to dominate much of the summit’s focus.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky used the meeting to call for greater military support to help fight Russian President Vladimir Putin’s aggression. “Europe must be strong,” Zelensky said. “Let only Putin’s ambitions be ruined. Not our countries, not our people, not our cities.”

House arrest. Ugandan opposition leader Bobi Wine says he was seized by “goons” at Entebbe International Airport on Thursday after returning from a two-week trip abroad and that he is now being held under house arrest.

“I am surrounded by the military, and nobody is allowed to leave, and no one is allowed to come,” Wine said from his home. Tear gas and live bullets were allegedly used to dispel people protesting near his home. Ugandan police denied Wine’s allegations, saying government agents had merely escorted him home and that the heavy security presence around his residence was for “general security.” “Disregard rumors of his arrest by propagandists,” the police said in a statement.

According to Wine, who heads the National Unity Platform (NUP), 300 of his supporters, 24 opposition members, and numerous journalists covering his return to Uganda have also been arrested. Uganda’s government has a long history of criminalizing activists and dissidents, including the banning of NUP rallies last month, and Wine himself has been arrested numerous times as well as faced charges such as treason. Wine is seen as the main challenger to President Yoweri Museveni, who has been in office for nearly 40 years.

Caught in the crossfire. More than 100 people were killed and another 125 injured in a drone strike against a Syrian military academy on Thursday, including numerous civilians. Syria’s defense ministry accused terrorist organizations of perpetrating the attack, though no one has claimed responsibility yet. Syrian Defense Minister Ali Mahmoud Abbas had been at the academy that day to attend a graduation ceremony but left shortly before the drone assault.

Deadly rainfall. Heavy rains sparked flash flooding in India on Wednesday after a Himalayan glacial lake in the nation’s northeast overran its shores. At least 18 people are reported dead, and nearly 100 others remain missing, making it the worst such disaster to hit the South Asian country in more than 50 years.

Local authorities opened 26 relief camps on Thursday to assist survivors with food and medical needs. Officials estimate that 22,000 people were likely impacted by the flooding, as at least five districts found themselves inundated with high water levels and 14 bridges were washed away by mudslides. Conditions are expected to worsen in the coming days as intense rainfall continues.

Paddington, the beloved fictional Peruvian bear who traveled to London in search of a new home, is returning to his roots—sort of. For the section of the upcoming third movie in which Paddington travels back to his country of origin, British filmmakers plan to shoot in Colombia, not Peru. In response, Lima’s film industry proposed new legislation this week that would remove barriers to filming in the country. Justice for Paddington.