Why it’s over between Public Service CS Muturi and Ruto

In his televised interview on Wednesday night, Public Service Cabinet Secretary Justin Muturi made it clear that all is not well between him and senior Kenya Kwanza leaders, including President William Ruto.

Muturi, who has been courting controversy as the black sheep of the Kenya Kwanza team, revealed that he no longer attends Cabinet, until it would speak boldly against abductions.

“I have missed three Cabinet meetings…I have written to the President to be excused from the Cabinet until the issue of abductions and extrajudicial killings is formally tabled before the Cabinet through a Cabinet memorandum,” he said.

The CS told Citizen TV that he was not afraid of being dismissed from his position following his open criticism of President Ruto administration which he is part of.

While it is not ordinary for insiders to attack government, the CS has dismissed calls for his resignation, arguing that surrendering to the forces that are up against him would amount to an act of cowardice.

“When I took oath of office, I knew the appointing authority has power to hire and fire. If I am fired for speaking against abductions and extrajudicial killings, which are unconstitutional, then so be it,” Muturi said.

“I remain fully committed to serving the people of Kenya in my capacity as Cabinet Secretary, working to strengthen our public service and enhance human capital development,” he said after a fake letter circulated indicating he had opted out.

In his assertions, Muturi said he doesn’t see his Cabinet snub as insubordination, revealing that he has written to the President to formally excuse himself.

The CS also hinted to his acts stemming from numerous advisories he gave the government but were ignored, including against the controversial Sh104 billion social health authority system.

He also revealed how he ‘helped the President correct an error’ in sacking him as Attorney General, taking on the head of state to keep his campaign promises.

“I saved him (the President) the pressure and handed a resignation letter as a matter of procedure,” Muturi said, further taking on Ruto for reneging on his promises to Kenyans.

He further spilled the beans that the office of AG rarely gets to process government-sponsored bills prior to their publication and enactment.

“We were surprised that we were being brought bills that had already been drafted and contained too many issues that needed to be cleaned up,” he said.

Hours before the interview, Muturi’s former party — Democratic Party — released a statement on its intentions to quit Kenya Kwanza. Whereas the CS asserts he had resigned as DP party leader, political pundits say there was no coincidence.

“He is not in good terms with the President. Let’s just say the two are not in good terms. Obviously there are issues between them,” political analyst Herman Manyora told the Star on Thursday.

Last week, Kikuyu MP Kimani Ichung’wah told Al Jazeera that the CS “has a beef with his boss in the government he serves,” arguing that the former speaker was “playing politics”.