President William Ruto has dismissed Public Service Cabinet Secretary Justin Muturi following a fallout over the abduction of his son by the National Intelligence Service (NIS) in June 2023.

In a dispatch released by Chief of Staff and Head of Public Service Felix Koskei on Wednesday, the President nominated Mbeere North MP Geoffrey Ruku to take over the Public Service, Human Capital Development, and Special Programmes docket.

Ruku’s appointment is subject to parliamentary approval.

Additionally, President Ruto made further changes to his Cabinet, nominating Hanna Wendot Cheptumo, widow of late Baringo Senator William Cheptumo, as the Cabinet Secretary for Gender, Culture, the Arts, and Heritage.

The President also reassigned two serving Cabinet Secretaries in changes that saw Environment Cabinet Secretary swap dockets with his Health counterpart Deborah Barasa.

“By virtue of the Presidential Action, Cabinet is set to achieve its constitutional full strength—a move that bolsters the Administration’s capacity to continue steering Kenya’s socio-economic transformation,” Koskei stated.

Muturi’s sacking marks the peak of a fallout with President William Ruto after sustained tensions over rising abductions which the former Attorney General has blamed on government.

On March 12, Muturi dismissed calls for his resignation, insisting there was no valid reason for him to step down despite his refusal to attend Cabinet meetings.

Speaking on Citizen TV, Muturi addressed speculation about a fallout with President Ruto and denied claims of insubordination, expressing confidence in his position within the Cabinet. 

Muturi defended his criticism of abductions, stating that he was fulfilling his duty as a public servant and that resigning would be “immoral.”

Accountability

He argued that leaders should commend him for advocating justice and accountability rather than demanding his resignation.

“The issue I raised on January 12 was an objection to abductions and extrajudicial killings happening in the country. I stated that, as a government, we must address these issues because if ignored, they could lead to chaos and anarchy,” Muturi explained.

He emphasized that speaking out against such violations should not be grounds for resignation, noting that the Kenya Kwanza coalition had pledged to end enforced disappearances during its campaign.

“As far as I know, it is not the policy of the government to abduct or kill people. Speaking against that cannot be a reason for resignation,” Muturi stated.

The feud between Ruto and Muturi escalated further on Wednesday after the now-sacked CS denied claims of incompetence during his tenure as Attorney General, following Ruto’s accusation of delays in creating a Muslim Endowment Fund.

Muturi clarified that the Waqf Act does not provide for the creation of a Muslim Endowment.

His response came after President Ruto, during an Iftar dinner at State House on Tuesday, described the former AG as “fairly incompetent” in handling legal matters, particularly regarding the establishment of Waqf—a commission responsible for managing Islamic endowments.

Muturi maintained that the existing law does not support the creation of such a fund. 

President Ruto blamed Muturi for delays in implementing the Waqf Commission and assured the Muslim community that, under the new Attorney General Dorcas Oduor, the matter would be resolved within months.

“As we move forward, we will continue to address the issues raised here—particularly those concerning education—and explore the link between religious and formal education to determine what needs to be done,” Ruto said. By Bruhan Makong, Capital News