Kenya’s Ruto Pledges Government Changes after Nationwide Protests

Kenyan President William Ruto said on Friday that he would make changes to the government soon, after weeks of nationwide protests that started as online anger over tax hikes and culminated in the violent storming of parliament. The protests prompted Ruto to withdraw the finance bill that contained the proposed tax hikes, leaving a 346 billion shilling ($2.7 billion) hole in the budget for the fiscal year that started on July 1. Ruto said in an address to the nation on Friday that his government would cut spending by 177 billion shillings in the fiscal year that started in July, with the additional amount that needs to be raised covered by increased borrowing. (Reuters)