On Thursday, March 27, local newspapers extensively covered President William Ruto’s dismissal of Public Service CS Justin Muturi, analysing how the abrupt cabinet shake-up could reshape government operations, signaling potential changes in Kenya’s political landscape.

1. Daily Nation

According to the paper, President William Ruto dismissed Public Service Cabinet Secretary Justin Muturi after months of conflict, replacing him with Mbeere North MP Geoffrey Ruku.

Both politicians belong to the Democratic Party (DP), with Ruku being the only DP-elected MP in the National Assembly.

Ruku’s appointment sparked political tension, as it opens the door for a by-election in Mbeere North, a constituency that previously resisted the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) wave.

This provides an opportunity for former deputy president Rigathi Gachagua, who is reportedly planning to launch a political party, to test his influence ahead of the 2027 elections.

The dismissal of Muturi followed a public fallout with Ruto, who criticized his tenure as Attorney General, particularly regarding delays in establishing the Muslim Endowment Fund (Waqf).

Muturi defended himself, stating that the legal framework did not include such a fund and detailing efforts to appoint Waqf commissioners before his removal.

Meanwhile, Ruto reshuffled other Cabinet positions, moving Aden Duale to the Health Ministry and appointing Hanna Cheptumo as Gender CS.

2. The Star

President William Ruto conducted a small cabinet restructuring, removing Public Service Cabinet Secretary Justin Muturi from his role; however, he made sure to keep the position within Muturi’s ethnic group.

The changes in the Cabinet come as Ruto intensifies political groundwork in the Mt Kenya region ahead of his scheduled tour next week.

Muturi’s position was transferred to Geoffrey Ruku, who represents Mbeere North as an MP. He is a close ally of the former minister and also belongs to the Democratic Party.

At first, Ruto intended to postpone Muturi’s ousting until after his trip to Mount Kenya. Nonetheless, insiders indicate that the move was brought forward due to a public disagreement.

The situation became more tense following Muturi’s sharp retort after Ruto referred to him as “somewhat inept” in his former position of Attorney General.

It is claimed that this conversation sealed Muturi’s fate, leading to his premature removal from his position.

3. The Standard

According to the document, Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja is under scrutiny for registering a private company to handle waste management in the area.

There are concerns about a possible conflict of interest since the recently incorporated firm, Nairobi Green, has listed several county officials as stakeholders.

The documents suggest that the firm is under Nairobi county’s ownership; however, its shareholders consist of prominent county officials including the Chief Officers for Environment and Finance, the County Secretary, and various other high-ranking executives.

Embakasi Central MP Benjamin Gathiru has objected to this proposal, contending that it advantages only a chosen minority instead of fostering local youth empowerment via community-based groups.

In defense of his choice, Sakaja argued that the plan seeks to eradicate cartels within the waste management industry, promoting increased openness.

He drew a comparison between Nairobi Green and the Nairobi Water and Sewerage Company, arguing that legitimacy lies in public sector ownership.

Nevertheless, Nairobi South MCA Waithera Chege condemned the governor for circumventing public involvement and neglecting to adhere to legal protocols.

The dispute escalates as an audit report casts doubt on payments associated with trash collection.

4. Taifa Leo

The local Swahili newspaper reports that a witness in the Shakahola mass murder case has called upon the government to speed up the process of identifying bodies to ascertain the whereabouts of his missing relatives.

In a Mombasa courtroom, Jimmy Mganga testified that the defendant, Paul Mackenzie, performed his parents’ marriage ceremony in 2014, long before their disappearance into the Shakahola forest.

Back then, Mackenzie hadn’t embraced extreme religious beliefs yet, so his lessons were seen as typical.

Mganga, who is 32 years old, mentioned that his parents, Moses Kahindi (aged 58) and Joyce Kachi (aged 45), as well as his three brothers and sisters, have been unaccounted for since December 2020.

Even though he has scoured every corner, he still hasn’t found them or verified whether their remains are kept at the Malindi mortuary.

He attributed the holdup in the DNA testing process to governmental assertions about insufficient funding.

He stated that prior to his family disappearing, his father had sold a portion of their property in Sosobora village and utilized those funds to purchase land in Shakahola.

A portion of the funds was also set aside for constructing a Good News International (GNI) church in their village.