Alai urges Ruto to fire disloyal officials
Kileleshwa Member of County Assembly (MCA) Robert Alai has called on President William Ruto to take a tough stance against individuals within his administration whom he believes are tarnishing his image, urging the Head of State to act decisively and dismiss them from office.
In a statement shared on his official X account on Saturday, March 22, 2025, Alai emphasized that Ruto must demonstrate firmness by getting rid of those within his inner circle who are not fully aligned with his leadership agenda, warning that keeping such figures in government could weaken his administration’s credibility.
“One thing President Ruto needs to learn is to ruthlessly fire some of these characters, soiling his name. You must act tough and rough. H.E. @WilliamsRuto, you can’t have opposers in your inside team,” Alai posted.
While the outspoken MCA did not specify which officials he was referring to, his remarks come at a time when the Kenya Kwanza administration has faced internal wrangles, with some government appointees and leaders contradicting the president’s directives or expressing dissenting views on key policies.
The latest of officials to find themselves in such a mix include Public Service Cabinet Secretary Justin Muturi, who has defiantly rejected calls for his resignation despite mounting pressure from government insiders.
Muturi, who has openly condemned enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, and other human rights abuses, has faced sharp criticism from senior Kenya Kwanza allies, with accusations that he is undermining the administration.
National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah, one of Ruto’s most vocal allies, has accused Muturi of using human rights issues for political gain, further claiming that the CS fabricated allegations about his son’s abduction to tarnish the government’s image.
“The minister has a reason to lie—it is all politics. He is playing politics with a very unfortunate incident,” Ichung’wah stated. He went on to suggest that Muturi was aware of his looming dismissal, hinting that his defiance was a preemptive attempt to position himself as a victim ahead of his expected removal from office.
Muturi, however, has remained resolute, insisting that his critics are the ones who should be held accountable for supporting injustices.
“Now, between the person condemning these acts and the one supporting them, who should leave? The person asking me to resign is essentially saying they support abductions and killings, which is against the law,” he argued, making it clear that he has no intention of stepping down.
His fallout with President William Ruto’s administration began when he publicly condemned the extrajudicial killings of Gen Z protesters and after he detailed how his son had been abducted.
His remarks, seen as a direct challenge to the government, sparked tensions within Ruto’s inner circle, setting off a chain of events that has placed him on the brink of ouster.
Muturi’s bold stance rattled senior government officials, who viewed his comments as an act of defiance rather than an internal policy discussion. His criticism came at a time when the state was under intense scrutiny for its handling of youth-led protests, with human rights organisations raising alarm over increasing cases of forced disappearances.
The pressure on Muturi intensified when he questioned the government’s priorities in the 2025 Budget Policy Statement on February 20, pointing out that many public projects remained stalled for decades while new ones were being launched.
His remarks, particularly his example of unfinished government houses in Wote, Makueni, were interpreted as veiled criticism of the administration’s development agenda.
