Justin Muturi has played a crucial role in shaping Kenya’s legal and political landscape. His career, which began in the judiciary, has seen him rise to key government positions. As of January 2025, he serves as the Cabinet Secretary for Public Service and Human Capital Development, where he continues to advocate for reforms, transparency, and accountability in the public sector.
Early Life and Education
Justin Bedan Njoka Muturi was born on 28 April 1956 in Kanyuambora, Embu District, Kenya. He attended St. Mary’s Ntaki High School before enrolling at the University of Nairobi in 1978. He graduated with a law degree in 1981, then pursued a Postgraduate Diploma in Law at the Kenya School of Law. In 1982, he was admitted as an advocate of the High Court of Kenya.
Judicial Career
Muturi served as a principal magistrate from 1982 to 1997. During this period, he also chaired the Judges and Magistrates Association. In 1997, while working as a magistrate in Nairobi, he was accused of soliciting a bribe to influence a case. He was acquitted but did not return to the judiciary.
Political Career
Muturi entered politics in 1999, winning a by-election to represent Siakago Constituency under the Kenya African National Union (KANU) party. He was re-elected in 2002 and held key positions, including opposition chief whip and chair of the Public Investments Committee. Although he lost his parliamentary seat in 2007, he remained active in politics, serving as KANU’s national organizing secretary and later as chairman of the Party of National Unity’s constitution committee during the 2008–2010 constitutional talks.
Speaker of the National Assembly
In 2013, following Kenya’s shift to a bicameral Parliament, Muturi became the first Speaker of the National Assembly under the new constitutional framework. He was re-elected in 2017 and served until 2022, overseeing legislative processes and ensuring the effective functioning of Parliament.
Attorney General
On 27 October 2022, President William Ruto appointed Muturi as Kenya’s Attorney General. He served as the government’s chief legal advisor and, in September 2024, was sworn in as a commissioner of the Judicial Service Commission (JSC). At his swearing-in, he reaffirmed his commitment to judicial independence, stating:
“On this my first day with you, may I assure you of my full and unwavering support and commitment towards the fulfilment of the role of the Commission.”
Cabinet Secretary for Public Service and Human Capital Development
In August 2024, Muturi was appointed as the Cabinet Secretary for Public Service and Human Capital Development. He committed to improving hiring practices, increasing transparency, and expanding the government’s internship programme to include both public and private sectors. Emphasizing efficiency in public service, he remarked:
“We need to have strategic delegation and collaboration. We cannot have one office in Nairobi recruiting for every government agency in the country. It is plain inefficiency.”
Environmental Advocacy
In October 2024, Muturi led a large-scale tree-planting initiative at Maseno School in Kisumu West Constituency to mark Mazingira Day. The event, which saw the planting of 3,000 seedlings, supported Kenya’s goal of reaching 15 billion trees by 2030. Urging Kenyans to take responsibility for conservation, he stated:
“As Kenyans, we must take it upon ourselves to plant trees not only for the present but for future generations.”
Recent Developments
In January 2025, Muturi publicly exposed the involvement of state security forces in kidnappings after his son, Leslie, was abducted and later released following direct intervention from President Ruto. He revealed that President Ruto ordered spy chief Noordin Haji to secure his son’s release, indirectly implicating the president in security force abuses.
Muturi’s revelations highlighted a broader crackdown on anti-government critics, which had led to over 60 deaths and numerous abductions. He warned that these actions were damaging Kenya’s international reputation and investor confidence. Despite facing backlash from Ruto’s allies, including threats of impeachment, Muturi stood by his claims, drawing attention to the suffering of families with missing loved ones.
