AG Muturi denies claims of being excluded from key government decisions

Attorney General Justin Muturi has refuted accusations that his office has been excluded from critical government decisions, following a report that ran in the dailies on Thursday.

The Standard ran a story citing Muturi's criticism of the Kenya Kwanza administration for not consulting him on pivotal decisions in the government.

In a subsequent statement on Thursday morning, the AG dismissed the claims, asserting he had been misquoted as he upholds the highest standards of integrity and transparency.

“I am deeply concerned by an article published by The Standard on July 11, 2024, that quotes statements falsely attributed to me. As a former lawmaker and former speaker of the National Assembly, I uphold the highest standards of integrity and transparency. The misquotations in the article are misleading to the Kenyan public and undermine these principles,” he said.

Muturi said he would be pursuing legal remedies to ensure the retraction of the erroneous statements and correction of the public record.

“The media must maintain accuracy and responsibility in their reporting to ensure that the truth is upheld,” the AG emphasised.

Military deployment

The article specifically claimed that Muturi's office was not consulted on the deployment of the military during the anti-Finance Bill, 2024 protests.

Attorney General Justin Muturi during a consultative meeting with members of Constitutional Commissions and Independent Offices at State House, Nairobi on january 17, 2023. (Photo: X/Justin Muturi)

“The deployment of the military to the streets was done without the advice of the Attorney General. I also can’t advise the police to go and shoot innocent kids in the streets,” Muturi was quoted as saying in a phone interview with The Standard.

Additionally, the article reported that Muturi was surprised by the establishment of the Presidential Taskforce on Forensic Audit of Public Debt, citing Article 229 of the Constitution, which assigns the auditing of public accounts to the Auditor General.

“Every year, the office of the Auditor General gives a report on public accounts. To audit a public body, you have to be the Auditor General or get authority from the office. Any other method is outside of the law,” Muturi allegedly told the daily.

He reiterated that his office; that of Principal Legal Advisor to the President, always advises the President and all other government ministries only when the advice is sought.

The article further claimed that the AG, while advocating for his office's independence, criticised the Public Service Commission (PSC) for making appointments of senior officers without his knowledge.

It added that while appearing before the National Assembly Justice and Legal Affairs Committee (JLAC) in February, Muturi revealed that crucial decisions concerning his docket, such as senior officer appointments and the introduction of Bills to Parliament, often bypass his approval.