Former Public Service CS Justin Muturi has decried the growing tendency among Kenyan leaders to consistently seek opportunities to embezzle public funds or simply serve their own interests through public projects, urging them to emulate the exemplary conduct of former President Mwai Kibaki.
Speaking during the second edition of the Mwai Kibaki Memorial Lecture and Luncheon, held at the Nairobi Serena Hotel on Friday, April 11, 2025, Muturi expressed bitter disappointment over the prevailing trend among Kenyan leaders of looting public resources, stating that they bore a stark contrast to a statesman like Mwai Kibaki, who remained active in politics for decades, yet to this day, no single case of misappropriation has ever been associated with his name.
According to him, whether or not they are inclined, Kenyan politicians must diligently and patiently study Kibaki’s history to extract essential lessons and acquaint themselves with how to be principled leaders who govern in accordance with the virtues of integrity.
“He had served for a long time as an MP and remained in the political arena for many years, yet nothing remotely linked to dubious government dealings has ever been attached to his name. Chapter Six is dedicated to leadership and integrity. How is it possible that someone was in public service for that long, yet to this very day, one cannot hear a thing like “he was meant to plan but didn’t”? I wish those of you in leadership would borrow a leaf. That when you conceive public projects, it is not because you harbour ulterior motives or concealed private gains. Because nowadays, everything we embark on, you come to realise there’s always something murky beneath the surface.”
Muturi went on to cite the example of the Thika Superhighway, stating it was a colossal infrastructural undertaking under Kibaki’s administration; yet not a single scandal or case of misappropriation of funds was reported, further extolling him as a shining beacon of integrity.
On that note, he stressed the urgent need for leaders to internalise the value of integrity and remarked that those who fail to draw lessons from Kibaki should turn back to the Constitution, where Chapter Six lays out a clear framework on how one may cultivate such a virtue.
“You have never heard that in the planning of the Thika Highway, there arose some process or incident of ‘“’who did what or what went wrong’—none. So for me, this is extremely important, even as we read Chapter Six on leadership and integrity, and we are told about ICT.”
Muturi maintained his hard-hitting message and pointed out that people should not assume that Kibaki exited politics unblemished simply because he did not stay for long, emphasising instead that he had risen through the ranks from Member of Parliament to Minister for Finance and Minister for Health.
He stressed that these are among the most pivotal dockets in government and wondered aloud why the current crop of leaders struggles to uphold a spotless record, as Kibaki had done.
“How is it that President Mwai Kibaki transitioned from Minister for Finance to Minister for Health, Assistant Minister—roles in some of the most strategic ministries—yet to this day, one cannot hear the kind of talk we hear now? So whether you read Chapter Six, make sure you also read about President Mwai Kibaki to truly understand what is meant by good governance and integrity. You need only to read the history of Mwai Kibaki, and then you will find Chapter Six reads like a lullaby. But once you know his story, Chapter Six becomes almost redundant. Most of you are religious, so you know what the virtues of integrity entail. Just by reading his life’s account, there’s a wealth of wisdom to be absorbed. It astonishes me how someone can rise through the highest rungs of leadership, reaching the very apex of political power, and still have not a single stain on his character.”
As he concluded, Muturi firmly stated that the accolades he had delivered were not even extended to Kibaki’s family, observing that his entire lineage had been schooled in the discipline of integrity to an exceptional degree.
He affirmed that this is the legacy he lives by and offered a heartfelt blessing for Kibaki’s soul, affirming that he was indeed a leader of extraordinary calibre.
“Not even touching on his family or close friends—it speaks volumes. That is the legacy of Mwai Kibaki that I continue to uphold.”