President Ruto Fires CS Muturi

Public Service Cabinet Secretary Justin Muturi has been sacked as President William Ruto nominates Mbeere North MP Geoffrey Ruku as Public Service Cabinet Secretary.

The changes reflect a decisive effort to consolidate the Cabinet's alignment with the President's policy objectives and address internal friction. The dismissal of Muturi follows public disagreements with President Ruto, most notably regarding the operationalization of the Waqf Act, which governs endowments for Muslim charitable causes. During a state Iftar dinner on Tuesday, Ruto publicly criticized Muturi’s handling of the Act during his tenure as Attorney General, labeling it "fairly incompetent" and contrasting it with the performance of his successor.

“I had a problem with the AG who was there before, he was fairly incompetent. But now, I have a very competent lady in the position, and I can assure you that the issues of Waqf will be sorted out within months,” the President said on Tuesday.

Muturi has defended his record, arguing that the Waqf Act does not provide for a centralized Muslim Endowment Fund, asserting that Waqf initiatives are personal and religious acts overseen by the Waqf Commission. Further contributing to the decision to relieve Muturi of his duties were reports indicating that he had sought permission to abstain from Cabinet meetings until the administration prioritized discussions on abductions and extrajudicial killings.

“Under the Waqf Act no.8 of 2022, there’s no provision for a “Muslim Endowment Fund. It must be understood that a Waqf is a religious, charitable or benevolent endowment by a person who professes the Muslim faith and is managed by the Waqf Commission,” the former AG said.

The Cabinet shake-up extends beyond Muturi’s dismissal. Aden Duale has been reassigned from Environment Cabinet Secretary to head the Health docket. Deborah Barasa will take over as Environment Minister. In a separate announcement, President Ruto has nominated Hanna Wendot Cheptumo as the Cabinet Secretary for Gender.