Former Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) Governor and ex-National Treasury Cabinet Secretary Professor Njuguna Ndung’u has spoken out about alleged overreach affecting independent offices in President William Ruto’s administration.
Speaking during a development cooperation conference in Sweden, Ndung’u said Kenya’s institutions have the capacity to make independent decisions, but their roles have been weakened.
His remarks follow his exit from President Ruto’s Cabinet, where he served as Treasury CS from 2022 before his removal after a government reshuffle in 2024.
The former Treasury CS argued that Kenya does not lack capable institutions or professionals, but their ability to operate independently is affected when political power is used to influence their decisions.
According to Ndung’u, state institutions have the capacity to make the right decisions and fulfill their mandates, but this capacity is undermined when leaders bypass institutional processes.
Ndung’u further accused President Ruto of overriding state institutions, claiming that officials serving within these bodies are forced to comply with government expectations because of fear of consequences.
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“You’re right, that capacity is there to do the right things. But it is covered by the institutional failure problem that somebody wants to overrun the institution. Right now, I don’t mind even if I’m quoted, right now, the current president overruns all the institutions. And that is why everybody in those institutions will have to conform for fear,” Ndung’u said.
The remarks mark one of Ndung’u’s strongest criticisms of the Ruto administration since he left office in 2024, following cabinet changes by President William Ruto.
Former Treasury CS Speaks on Refusing Government Deals
The economist, who previously served as Central Bank of Kenya Governor, also revealed how he avoided engaging in arrangements that could compromise his integrity at Treasury CS.
He said decisions made by public officials can have consequences that extend beyond their time in office, warning that political administrations may change but records of actions taken while in government remain.
According to Ndung’u, public officers need both personal courage and strong institutions to resist pressure and make decisions based on professional judgment.
He said he declined to participate in some deals because he understood that questionable decisions could continue affecting individuals even after they leave office.
“But I refused to do deals in the Ministry of Finance. I can’t do deals, he added.
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Ndung’u Warns Public Officers Over Accountability
Ndung’u said public service requires officials to consider the long-term impact of their actions, noting that individuals can face consequences years after leaving office.
He cited cases involving former colleagues who, according to him, continued dealing with unresolved issues linked to their time in public service.
“There are people who are my friends, they were caught up in some of those things, including in the central bank. And even by the time they died, they were still being followed by those things. The cases were not concluded because it becomes a major punishment. Now, it’s only capacity at the individual level and institutional level that can give you that courage to say no because you know it will follow you. Regimes change and rules of the game change,” Ndung’u said.
the former CS further argued that strong institutions and individual integrity provide the foundation for officials to stand firm when faced with pressure.
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