Ruto: Muturi struggled as AG, skipped Cabinet, left me no choice

During a roundtable interview with vernacular stations from the Mt Kenya region on Monday, the president claimed that Muturi informed him that he was not fit to do the job as Attorney General as he was out of practice on legal matters. 

According to Ruto, he decided to grant Muturi another chance in another docket due to the friendship built over the years. 

However, the president cited that his hands were tied after Muturi skipped Cabinet sessions as an act of defiance. 

"Muturi nilimpatia kazi kama Mkuu wa Sheria. Yeye mwenyewe alinieleza ya kwamba hii kazi kwa sababu hajakuwa practice kwa muda mrefu ile kazi kidogo inamlemea. Nikakaa kidogo nikaona kweli amelemewa na ile kazi," he said. 

"Makosa pengine ni yangu, I persuaded him, fanya tu hii kazi. Nikasema wacha nimbadilishie kazi, nikampatia kazi ya waziri. Hapo katikati akagoma kuja katika baraza la mawaziri. Ni mimi nilimfuta kazi ama ni yeye alijifuta kazi? What am I supposed to do?"

Further, the head of state drew comparisons between Muturi and his former deputy Rigathi Gachagua, whom he noted had multiple chances to shape up. 

"JB Muturi has a very good pension, hawezi kuumia sana ati ataenda kuhangaika, ako na pension anaweza kusonga mbele," Ruto said in a subtle jab aimed at his former CS. 

The president also explained that his fallout with Gachagua stemmed from internal conflicts within the Kenya Kwanza coalition, where the latter picked fights with key political figures including lawmakers who in turn ousted him. 

"I am a person who believes in giving people a second chance. Even though many leaders did not favour my friend Gachagua, I still gave him a chance. I am a strong believer that when you are friends, you don’t just dismiss friends," he said. 

"It applies to JB Muturi, even when it was difficult for him to perform as AG, but because he was my friend, we worked together, we campaigned together, I was willing to give him a second chance."

After months of severed ties between the two, Ruto sacked Muturi on March 26, 2025. In his place, the president nominated Mbeere North MP Geoffrey Ruku.