Justin Muturi has revealed a surprising incident that raises questions about the way government deals are being handled under President William Ruto’s leadership.
According to Muturi, who was then serving as the Cabinet Secretary for Public Service, he had just landed in Dubai for the COP28 conference when he received an unexpected phone call from the President himself.
In that call, President Ruto allegedly told Muturi that a group of Russian oligarchs were waiting for him at the airport and that he needed to sign some documents immediately. The documents were related to a deal worth Ksh.129 billion.
The supposed deal involved a massive tree planting project which was said to be funded by the Russian businessmen.Muturi said he was shocked by the request and immediately declined to sign the documents. He insisted that he needed time to go through the paperwork and that such matters could not be rushed at an airport.
He told the President that he would prefer to review the documents in his office, as is the normal procedure for any serious government business. Muturi emphasized that such a huge agreement could not be entered into without proper review, and certainly not in a casual setting such as an airport.
His stand was based on the need for caution and proper due process, something that seems to be ignored more frequently in Ruto’s government.He also pointed out that according to Kenyan law, any major grant or foreign deal must go through the Treasury. It is not allowed for a ministry to sign such deals directly without involving the National Treasury.
In his opinion, bypassing this process not only violates the law but also opens the door to potential misuse of public resources. Muturi’s insistence on doing things the right way highlights a serious gap in the way some government projects are being pushed forward.
It also shows the kind of pressure some cabinet members are under to approve questionable deals without scrutiny.
The former CS’s decision not to sign the documents without a thorough review is a reminder of what integrity in public service should look like. His experience also reveals how senior government officials are sometimes pushed to act in haste, possibly to cover up intentions that do not serve the public interest.
The fact that Russian oligarchs were involved and that such a large amount of money was on the line only deepens the concern about transparency and accountability in the current administration. Muturi’s statement has added to the growing public suspicion that not all is well behind the scenes in Ruto’s government.
