Ruto is unfit to be President, ex-CS Muturi now says
President William Ruto is “unfit to be president”, former Public Service Cabinet Secretary Justin Muturi said on Friday.
In a morning talk show on NTV’s "Fixing the Nation", Mr Muturi, who was fired by President Ruto late last month, had no kind words for his former boss.
“I think William Ruto is a person with two personalities. The William Ruto that presents himself to the public is a completely different character from the one that sits in the office and crafts stuff.”
“Such a person is a dangerous character. I think William Ruto is unfit for the position of president of the Republic of Kenya,” the former Attorney-General said.
Dr Ruto had accused Mr Muturi of incompetence as Attorney-General, adding that he was forced to appoint him as a minister but had him sacked for absconding his duties.
“When I appointed him as the Attorney-General, he was reluctant in taking up the position saying he had not practised law for a while,” said Dr Ruto.
“I persuaded him to take the job but I later realised he was incompetent and I decided to give him another docket in the Cabinet (Public Service).”
But on Friday, Mr Muturi fired back, explaining that having worked with Dr Ruto as President, “I have come sadly to the conclusion that he is unfit to be president”.
Mr Muturi was quick to add that he harbours no bitterness against the president for firing him.
“When I see him talk to the Cabinet that I do not want to see corruption in my government, I start wondering who this is talking.”
'Irredeemably corrupt'
When asked whether he believes President Ruto is corrupt, he replied: “Absolutely, very, irredeemably corrupt.”
Mr Muturi recalled how in 2023 President Ruto called him during his tenure as Attorney-General, urging him to sign a billion-shilling deal with some “Russian Oligarchs” at a Dubai Airport on his way from COP28.
“Ruto called me but I told him I was in transit. He told me that my people had worked on the document so I had to sign it but I insisted that I needed to review it in the office,” he said.
Mr Muturi pointed out that the Russians were “purporting to give a grant of $1 billion to grow 3 billion trees”.
He accused the President of always coming up with programmes from where he can “mint” money.
“If he comes up with a programme, for him it’s for money making,” said Mr Muturi.
He also said that he was ambushed with an MoU that “they said came from the Ministry of Environment, which they pushed through.”
“But I told them the $1 billion can only be by way of grant but cannot come directly to the ministry because under PFM Act section 47, it can only come through the National Treasury, but they were trying to avoid that money going to National Treasury yet it was money coming from abroad. How do you tell me to sign such a deal at Dubai Airport and it’s William Ruto calling me directly?” he asked.
Mr Muturi termed it a “very unfortunate situation for the country that we have William Ruto sitting in the office as the president of Kenya”.
Writing a book
Pressed on why he could not resign, he pointed out that as a gentleman, he did not want to antagonise the system. However, he is writing a book that would give his detailed account during the service, the former CS added.
He also narrated how he had turned down his appointment as Attorney-General, forcing President Ruto to send National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula to convince him to take up the post but he declined.
“Wetang’ula told me he had been sent by the President to make me accept the position of the Attorney-General, but I told him I had already rejected the offer. I told him that I feared taking up a job that would not allow me to exercise my freedom,” he recalled.
A day after botched talks with Wetang'ula, Muturi reportedly received an invitation from President Ruto at State House, where the two leaders held a closed-door meeting.
“The President even tried to entice me, saying that all contracts in the ministries above Sh1 billion had to be approved by the Attorney-General. He is one person who understands procurement but this is a story for another day,” added Mr Muturi.
He did not, however, explain whether it was the enticement that led him to eventually accept the AG role.
During his Friday morning interview, Mr Muturi also delved into the issue of the abduction of his son, insisting that it was carried out by the National Intelligence Service (NIS).
He said he was neither eying the Mbeere North MP seat which will remain vacant following the appointment of area MP Geoffrey Ruku as Public Service cabinet Secretary, nor the Embu governor seat currently held by Cecily Mbarire.
Mr Muturi said that he would vote for himself for president but disclosed that he was willing to join forces with like-minded leaders.
Asked whether he would work with former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, he responded, “Riggy G is a Kenyan and I have no problem with him. I am ready to team up with him to serve Kenyans”.
“However, we are not yet in a conversation with Riggy G.”
jjochieng@ke.nationmedia.com