A political storm has erupted after President William Ruto publicly slammed Public Service Cabinet Secretary Justin Muturi, calling him “fairly incompetent” over his alleged failure to establish the Waqf Commission during his tenure as Attorney General. But Muturi wasn’t about to take the hit silently.

On Tuesday, March 26, Muturi hit back on X, dismantling Ruto’s claims by stating that the Waqf Act does not mandate the creation of a “Muslim Endowment Fund.” He made it clear that such responsibilities rest solely with the Muslim community and the Waqf Commission—not the Attorney General’s office.

“There is no mention of a ‘Muslim Endowment Fund’ in the Waqf Act No. 8 of 2022. A waqf is a private religious or charitable endowment initiated by a Muslim and managed by the Waqf Commission,” Muturi declared.

His statement came just hours after Ruto, speaking at an Iftar gathering at State House Nairobi on Monday, March 25, accused him of failing to handle legal frameworks for Waqf during his time as AG.

“I agree, the Waqf issue has dragged on for too long. There was no justification for the delay, and frankly, the previous AG was quite incompetent. But now, I have an exceptionally capable woman in office, and I assure you, this matter will be resolved,” Ruto remarked, referring to his newly appointed Attorney General, Dorcas Oduor.

The explosive exchange has fueled speculation about internal rifts within Ruto’s administration. Muturi has recently been vocal in criticizing the government’s slow response to a surge in abduction cases.

In a fiery media briefing on Friday, March 21, Muturi doubled down on his stance, refusing to be silenced. He dismissed speculation that he might step down, saying resignation would not solve the country’s problems.

“Why should I resign for speaking the truth? If something is wrong, I will call it out—I owe it to the people of Kenya,” he asserted.

With tensions escalating, all eyes are now on whether this power struggle will deepen divisions within Ruto’s government.

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