Former Attorney General Justin Muturi has publicly defended his tenure following criticisms from President William Ruto, who described him as “fairly incompetent” during an iftar session at State House.
In response, Muturi released an exit scorecard detailing his achievements from September 2022 to July 2024. His report highlights the successful defense of the government in over 1,500 cases, resulting in savings of approximately Sh17.5 billion in legal claims. Notably, his office handled significant cases, including a Sh5.2 billion Supreme Court appeal involving Kabuito Contractors Limited and a Sh3.77 billion case against Torino Enterprises Ltd.
Beyond litigation, Muturi emphasized his role in international arbitration, where his office defended the government against claims exceeding Sh632 billion. He also pointed out that 708 legal advisories were issued on bilateral and international law matters, and 225 legal opinions were provided on international judicial cooperation. His tenure also saw progress in national projects, including the Affordable Housing Scheme, with 300,000 registered applicants and 10 completed projects, as well as advancements in the digitization of government services through the E-Citizen platform.
Addressing allegations that his legal advisories were overlooked, Muturi refuted the claims, stating that over 99.5% of his recommendations were implemented. He acknowledged that while not all advisories were adopted, this was often due to the need to return memos from various ministries that were legally deficient. Muturi emphasized that the Office of the Attorney General was a signatory to every Cabinet memo, underscoring his office’s integral role in government decision-making.
In a clarification regarding his departure from the position, Muturi confirmed that he resigned voluntarily, citing internal disquiet within the National Executive and the country at large. He believed that resigning was the honorable course of action, allowing President Ruto the opportunity to reorganize his Cabinet as he deemed fit.
