The Lower Eastern Times Opening The Third Eye
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President William Ruto has dismissed Public Service Cabinet Secretary Justin Muturi as part of a minor reshuffle in his Cabinet.
Ruto has nominated Geoffrey Ruku, the Member of Parliament for Mbeere North, to replace Muturi as the new Public Service CS.
This decision follows just a day after Ruto publicly criticized Muturi as being ‘incompetent’ during his tenure as Attorney General. Muturi had been a vocal critic of the government and had even skipped several Cabinet meetings.
In a recent interview, Muturi disclosed that he had formally requested the President to excuse him from attending Cabinet meetings until the government prioritizes discussions on abductions and extrajudicial killings.
“Cabinet meetings are mandatory unless the President grants permission, which I sought,” Muturi explained on Citizen TV. He emphasized that his request was not an act of insubordination, as he had formally written to the Cabinet chair for exemption.
This marked the first public display of Ruto’s differences with Muturi. The rift began earlier in the week when Ruto criticized Muturi’s performance as Attorney General, calling him “fairly incompetent,” especially regarding his handling of legal matters related to the establishment of Waqf, a charitable endowment in Islam.
“I had issues with the previous AG, who was fairly incompetent. But now I have a competent lady in the position, and I can assure you the issues of Waqf will be resolved within months,” Ruto stated.
The President’s remarks came in response to concerns raised by Muslim leaders during a state Iftar dinner about delays in implementing the Waqf Act, 2022.
In response, Muturi quickly countered the President’s statement, clarifying that the Waqf Act does not include provisions for creating a Muslim Endowment Fund. He stressed that the establishment of a Waqf is a personal initiative by any Muslim, rather than a government responsibility.
“Under the Waqf Act No. 8 of 2022, there is no provision for a ‘Muslim Endowment Fund.’ A Waqf is a charitable or benevolent endowment made by an individual of the Muslim faith and managed by the Waqf Commission,” said Muturi.
