Nyandarua Senator Methu Muhia has slammed President William Ruto for questioning Public Service Cabinet Secretary Justin Muturi’s competence while he served as Attorney General..
In a statement on Wednesday, March 26, Methu accused Ruto of contradicting himself by promoting Muturi to a higher office despite doubting his abilities.
“How do you reward an incompetent staff by promoting him to a bigger office? Mr. President, stop taking Kenyans for a ride. On Tuesday, March 25, you said Justin Muturi was incompetent, but instead of firing him, you promoted him to a higher office,” Methu remarked.
The senator further accused the Ruto administration of being intolerant to criticism and attempting to silence leaders who speak out against it.
“It’s quite clear that your administration is incapable of taking criticism and has now resorted to maligning leaders who speak the truth. They say before the hyenas eat their young ones, they first accuse them of smelling like sheep,” he added.
Methu’s remarks came after Ruto, while speaking during an Iftar dinner at State House on Tuesday, March 25, openly criticized Muturi, describing his tenure as Attorney General as incompetent.
Ruto reassured Kenyans that legal affairs would now be handled more effectively under the leadership of Dorcas Oduor, the newly appointed Attorney General.
“I had a problem with the AG who was there, he was fairly incompetent. But I now have a very competent lady in that position…” Ruto stated.
Following the president’s remarks, Muturi responded by defending his record as Attorney General. He released a scorecard detailing his accomplishments during his tenure, emphasizing the legal victories and financial savings his office secured for the government.
According to the report, Muturi’s legal team successfully defended 1,503 out of 1,588 cases filed against the government between September 2022 and September 2023. These victories reportedly saved the government more than Ksh17.5 billion.
One of the most notable cases Muturi’s office won was Nairobi Civil Appeal No. 638 of 2019, Attorney General vs Kabuito Contractors Limited, where the Supreme Court dismissed the appeal, preventing a Ksh5.2 billion loss.
Another significant case was Nairobi Supreme Court Petition No. E006 of 2022, Torino Enterprises Ltd vs Attorney General, where the Supreme Court’s ruling saved the government Ksh3.7 billion.
In Eldoret ELC No. 649 of 2012, Stephen K. Cheruiyot vs Attorney General and others, the court dismissed a third-party claim demanding Ksh100 million as compensation for alleged wrongful land allocation.
Muturi also highlighted the efficiency of his office in handling legal advisories. Between 2022 and 2023, his team provided 708 advisories on bilateral, regional, and international law matters to ministries within six days of receiving requests. Additionally, they processed 225 advisories on international judicial cooperation in criminal matters within six working days.
On Wednesday, President William Ruto reshuffled his cabinet for the umpteenth time, effectively sacking Justin Muturi.
