NAIROBI – Former Public Service Cabinet Justin Muturi has filed an explosive allegation against President William Root, accusing him of overseeing corrupt deals behind the scenes, preaching public integrity.
In a candid interview with NTV’s entrenchment of the country, Muturi, who had been in Root’s cabinet for nearly two years, portrayed the double character, claiming that the president was “irreparably corrupted.”
“He’s a very dangerous character. I don’t think Root deserves a position as president. I don’t have any bitterness. This is my honest assessment,” Muturi said. “When I see him telling members of the cabinet that he doesn’t want to see corruption in his government, I always wonder because I know someone like him.”
Muturi alleged that Ruto had put pressure on Russian investors to approve a Sh 129 billion contract to fund the planting initiative. According to Muturi, the president called him during Dubai’s COP28 and urged him to sign a document allowing transactions at the airport.
“The 129 billion transactions were presented as grants to plant 3 billion trees. But I told them that such funds could only be passed through the Ministry of Finance, not directly to the Ministry,” he said.
He further argued that the project was a financial plan disguised as development, like others pushed out by the president. “Whenever Root comes up with a project, it’s about money,” he said.
Mutsuri has also linked the route to the controversial Allah and Kimwaradam project. The government has secured a loan of 63 billion Ksh.63 billion from Italian company CMC di Ravenna. He said he refused to sign off to the project due to discrepancies in cost and quality and concerns about accountability.
“The Italians were paid billions of dollars. In Kimwarah, nothing happened because the report was flawed. They wanted me to sign.
Muturi, who was fired from the Cabinet for a recent re-shuffle and replaced by Mbeere North MP Geoffrey Ruku, refused to make a personal revenge. He argued that his revelation was fact-based and expressed his willingness to share support documents in soft copy.
His allegations are the latest twist in what has become a very public fallout with President Root.
