Ruto: Muturi was an incompetent AG

By Newsflash Reporter

President William Ruto has launched a scathing attack on former Attorney General and current Cabinet Secretary for Public Service Justin Muturi, accusing him of incompetence and derailing key government programs, including the rollout of the Muslim Endowment Fund.

Speaking during an Iftar session at State House on Tuesday,25 March, 2025, President Ruto lamented that the long-awaited Endowment Fund had been delayed unnecessarily, blaming Muturi for its slow implementation.

“I agree with you. It has taken too long. There’s absolutely no reason,” Ruto said. “I had a problem with the AG who was there. He was fairly incompetent. But now I have a very competent lady. I can assure you that the issues of the Endowment Fund will be sorted out.”

While he did not mention Muturi by name, the veiled attack was clearly directed at the former AG, who was replaced by Attorney General Dorcas Oduor in a recent cabinet reshuffle.

Muturi’s rocky relationship with Ruto

Muturi’s tenure as Attorney General was marked by tensions as the government lost a trail of cases in courts. Recently, he has been missing to attend Cabinet meetings. His frosty relations with the President have only worsened in recent weeks, culminating in his public declaration that he would boycott Ruto’s upcoming tour of the Mt Kenya region.

The Public Service CS has reportedly grown frustrated with what he perceives as political sidelining, particularly in Mt. Kenya, where Ruto’s allies are consolidating their influence ahead of the 2027 elections.

Muturi’s troubles began after he was accused of failing to provide legal clarity on key government projects, including the controversial housing levy, which faced multiple legal hurdles. His reluctance to aggressively defend Ruto’s policies in court reportedly led to frustrations within the administration, eventually resulting in his transfer from the AG’s office to the Public Service docket.

Political fallout

The latest remarks by Ruto are likely to deepen divisions within the Kenya Kwanza administration, with Muturi’s allies viewing the attack as an attempt to push him out of government. Muturi, who was a key figure in Ruto’s 2022 election campaign, has remained defiant, signaling that he is ready to take a more confrontational stance against the President.

As Ruto consolidates power ahead of the next election cycle, it remains to be seen whether Muturi will remain in government or choose to chart a different political path.