Public Service Cabinet Secretary Justin Muturi has responded to President William Ruto’s recent comments regarding the Waqf Act, 2022, asserting that he was the one who operationalised the law during his tenure as Attorney General.
Muturi’s remarks follow Ruto’s statement at a State House Iftar dinner, where the President claimed that some aspects of the Waqf Act were not in operation. Ruto also took a swipe at Muturi, referring to him as “fairly incompetent” and praising the new Attorney General, Dorcas Oduor, for her competence in resolving the matter.
Muturi, however, pushed back on the President’s assertions, clarifying that the Act came into force on March 31, 2022, but it was during his tenure that necessary steps were taken to implement it.
“The Waqf Act came into force on 31st March 2022, but it was during my short tenure that I operationalised it,” he said.
Detailing the timeline, Muturi explained that on July 12, 2023, he appointed the Waqf Commission Selection Panel and engaged the National Treasury and the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) to allocate a budget for the panel’s operations. Under his leadership, the selection panel held its inception meeting on April 18, 2024, and was sworn in on May 14, 2024.
The former AG further stated that before he left office, he had advertised for applications to fill Waqf Commission positions. However, this process was disrupted when President Ruto dissolved his Cabinet on July 11, 2024. Muturi noted that despite efforts by the Chairperson of the Selection Panel, Sheikh Ibrahim Lethome, to push forward, the process remains stalled.
Additionally, Muturi clarified that the Waqf Act does not provide for the establishment of a Muslim Endowment Fund, as suggested by Ruto. He explained that Waqf is an individual initiative and not a state-run endowment fund, managed solely by the Waqf Commission.
As the debate over the Act’s implementation continues, President Ruto assured Muslim leaders that the issue would be resolved soon under the leadership of AG Dorcas Oduor.
