Former Police Spokesperson Charles Owino has claimed that President William Ruto did not wish to remove Justin Muturi from his position, adding that Muturi provoked Ruto into removing him to gain public sympathy.
Speaking during a Citizen TV interview on Thursday, March 27, Owino suggested that Muturi stepped down because he felt Mt Kenya was drifting away from the president.
"I do not think it was the president’s wish to remove him, but given the decision he had taken to leave government, trying to provoke Ruto to ensure that he is removed to gain public sympathy is exactly what he has done. Time is still long, and time will tell. This is politics," Owino said.
He also described Muturi as a strategic politician who may be eyeing the Embu governor’s seat or planning to replace Geoffrey Ruku as the Mbeere North Member of Parliament.
"He is a strategic politician, and I am sure he is looking forward to becoming the Governor of Embu. I will not be surprised if he goes back to run for the position Ruku has left," he added.
Ruto, on Wednesday, March 26, announced a new round of changes within his administration, nominating various leaders to new Cabinet positions.
In the latest changes, the Head of State replaced Justin Muturi after eight months of service with Geoffrey Ruku, the Mbeere North MP.
Muturi weeks earlier, denied claims that he had resigned from the cabinet, emphasizing that he was not going to resign despite a section of government leaders asking him to step down.
He raised concerns surrounding speculations about his looming resignation following his perceived fallout with Ruto, maintaining that there are no sufficient grounds for him to quit office.
Owino also spoke about Aden Duale’s appointment to the Ministry of Health, calling it a strategic move.
He pointed out that the biggest challenge in the Ministry of Health is explaining Universal Healthcare, the Social Health Authority, the Social Health Act, primary healthcare, and other related health matters to the public.
According to Charles, Ruto picked Duale because of his strong communication skills, which will help clarify the government's position on healthcare.
"Picking Duale for the ministry is simply to have a person who can communicate and explain the government's position because what we are lacking is people understanding what we are going through in the Ministry of Health," Owino noted.
