NAIROBI, Kenya — Former Public Service and Human Capital Development Cabinet Secretary Justin Muturi has publicly expressed regret over supporting President William Ruto, marking his most direct criticism of the Head of State since his dismissal from Cabinet.
Muturi, who once served as Attorney General and later as Public Service CS in Ruto’s administration, took to social media to declare his disillusionment. His post was both a personal and political pivot:
“I will always respect former President Uhuru Kenyatta. He was firm but fair, a leader who listened, embraced differing views, and never ruled with fear. We’re still friends to this day, and I value that bond.
But I deeply regret ever supporting William Ruto,” he wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
Muturi’s criticism follows months of silence after being dropped from Cabinet, and comes amid ongoing tensions stemming from the Gen Z protests—a movement that appears to have fractured several relationships within government.
A major turning point came when Muturi’s son was abducted during the height of the protests. The former CS claims he had to directly appeal to the President to secure his son’s release.
“I heard a call between the President and the DG of Intelligence,” he later confided. “Shortly after, my son was released.”
The incident reportedly prompted a series of missed Cabinet meetings, and Muturi later admitted to having written to the President demanding action on what he described as “extrajudicial behavior” by state agencies.
Once considered a close ally, Muturi’s fallout with Ruto underscores deepening divisions within the ruling ranks.
Muturi previously enjoyed a decade-long stint as Speaker of the National Assembly under former President Uhuru Kenyatta, a relationship he now describes as respectful and enduring.
Since leaving government, Muturi has been increasingly visible alongside opposition figures like Rigathi Gachagua, Kalonzo Musyoka, Martha Karua, and Eugene Wamalwa, signaling a possible political realignment ahead of the 2027 general election.
