Public Service Cabinet Secretary Justin Muturi has dismissed speculations that he is planning to resign amid calls by a section of government leaders asking him to step down.
CS Muturi while speaking on Thursday, March 20, dismissed the speculations insisting that his main focus remains ensuring accountability within government.
The Public Service CS addressed the media hours before President William Ruto‘s government shakeup that saw Muturi’s Principal Secretary in the State Department for Public Service PS Amos Gatheca promoted.
Muturi’s relationship with the administration came into question after he arrived in Mombasa without the usual reception from regional leaders and security officials.
The CS arrived at the Kenya School of Government Mombasa campus for an event accompanied only by the ministry’s former PS Amos Gatheca.
However, unlike other government officials, the two were neither escorted nor received by Police officers, regional leaders or senior security officials, a move the CS downplayed as unsurprising.
Muturi maintained that he has no intention of stepping down stressing that his focus is on holding the government accountable and ensuring adherence to the Constitution to safeguard the rights of all Kenyans.
CS Muturi speaks
He vowed not to remain silent in the face of wrongdoing within the administration, adding that his resignation would not solve any issue.
“Can you resign for speaking the truth? One must speak the truth and if there are mistakes, I am ready to stand by my words and defend them,” he said.
Regarding the pact between President Ruto and former Prime Minister Raila Odinga which highlighted the need to end abduction, the Public Service CS urged for transparency in addressing the matter to ensure Kenyans can live freely and the nation can progress.
The CS was in Mombasa to grace the official opening of State Parties Assessment Tool (SPAT) sensitization training where Kenya and Cameroon have been selected to undertake the pilot phase.
Also Read: Kimani Ichung’wa Confirms Justin Muturi Will be Sacked
The initiative seeks to enhance transparency accountability and measurable progress in public service delivery across African Union member states.
Notably, the event happened just hours before President Ruto instituted changes within the ranks of Principal Secretaries and sanctioned postings to the nation’s foreign service.
In a circular, Head of Public Service Felix Koskei said that former PS Gatheca was promoted to Deputy Head of the Public Service in the Executive Office of the President in the major government shakeup instituted by President Ruto on Thursday.
Ruto reshuffles gov’t
Koskei said that the changes are driven by the need to harness the opportunities within emerging sectors of the economy, as well as to address challenges affecting Kenya’s social fabric.
Also Read: Ruto Nominates New Principal Secretaries [FULL LIST]
On his part, Prof. Edward Kisiang’ani was dropped as the PS for Broadcasting and Telecommunications and in turn appointed as a Senior Advisor and a member of the President’s Council of Economic Advisors.
Kisiang’ani will now be replaced in the PS position by Stephen Isaboke, who has worked as the Group Executive, Head of Regulatory Affairs at MultiChoice Group.
President Ruto also re-assigned PS Julius Bitok to the State Department for Basic Education, Ministry of Education previosuly held by PS Belio Kipsang who was re-assigned to the State Department for Immigration & Citizen Services.
The changes came amid a looming major political shift following the signing of a historic pact between the ruling United Democratic Alliance (UDA) Party and the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) Party, led by former Prime Minister Raila Odinga.
The agreement which was signed on March 7 at the Kenyatta International Convention Center (KICC) outlines a strategic collaboration between the two parties, raising speculation of an imminent Cabinet reshuffle to accommodate the new political realignment.
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