AG Muturi laments his office being sidelined in State appointments

Attorney General Justin Muturi has lifted the lid on how important decisions concerning his docket like appointments of senior officers and Bills finding their way to Parliament are made without his approval.

While making pitch for his office to be independent, Muturi said the Public Service Commission (PSC) has been making appointments of senior officers in his office without his knowledge.

Speaking on Tuesday when he appeared before the Justice and Legal Affairs Committee (JLAC) to defend decision to amend the Statute Law (Miscellaneous Amendment) Bill, 2023, Muturi revealed that his staff are demoralized and this has affected implementation of services at the State office.

The Bill, currently before the National Assembly, seeks to create a board for the State law office that is assumed will make it more independent.

He told the committee that many of his officers have been resigning to take up positions in other well-paying government institutions like the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP), Judiciary and even Parliament.

While narrating how PSC has continually forwarded names of officers they have appointed to him some as recent as this year, Muturi insisted on the need for a board to be formed to help in appointing, promoting and maintaining discipline among the workforce at the State law office.

“Let me be honest, and I have nothing against those officers, but if positions are established in the office of the AG and they are given to people who don’t work there, it takes away the possibility of those working in the State law office to grow,” he told members of the committee.

“We have a gentleman working in State House who was appointed by PSC as senior Deputy Solicitor General, the current Chief of Staff in the office of Deputy President is a senior Deputy Solicitor General. I am making my case on why I need to be delinked from the Public Service Commission, given a board that will help make the decisions.”

Muturi also said that he was not involved in the national government’s Miscellaneous Amendment Bill that is currently before the committee that seeks to move the Court of Arms to the Office of the President.

“I haven’t heard about that one, I am hoping that in due time it will be communicated to us, many are asking themselves where the Bill has found itself in the House,” he said.

The statement made MPs to wonder whether the AG is being sabotaged and if he is actually serving his purpose in the Kenya kwanza government.

“I just want to ask you AG, are you okay?” National Assembly Majority Whip Sylvanus Osoro posed.

“Everything is well with me, and there is no cause for alarm, its healthy and part of democracy, when you offer some certain advice and it has not been taken. Some think that this is now war, No, it isn’t,” Muturi answered.