Former Public Service Cabinet Secretary Justin Muturi has revealed that President William Ruto allegedly attempted to pressure him into signing a Ksh129 billion deal with Russian investors for a large-scale tree-planting project.

The deal, valued at $1 billion (Ksh129 billion), was part of the government's ambitious 15-billion-tree initiative aimed at increasing Kenya’s forest cover. However, Muturi claims he was urged to approve the agreement while still at the airport, without having time to review the document.

Airport Pressure at COP28

Muturi stated that the incident occurred in December 2023 during the COP28 Summit in Dubai. While traveling for an official state visit, he received a call from President Ruto, who allegedly insisted that he immediately sign the agreement with Russian investors in Dubai.

“I land in Dubai, Ruto is calling me, those Russians are in Dubai, they are waiting for you to sign the document, your staff has already worked on it, you just need to sign,” Muturi narrated.

Despite the pressure, Muturi refused, insisting that he needed time to review the document thoroughly before making any commitments.

Bypassing Legal Procedures

Muturi further alleged that the president sought to sidestep legal protocols, particularly the Public Finance Management (PFM) Act, which requires all grants to be processed through the National Treasury.

“I told them the $1 billion can only be by way of a grant, but it cannot come directly to the Ministry… under the PFM Act Section 47, it can only go through the National Treasury. But they were trying to avoid this, yet it's money coming from abroad,” he explained.

Ruto’s Tree-Planting Initiative

In December 2022, President Ruto launched the 15 Billion Tree Planting Initiative, targeting to increase Kenya’s forest cover from 12% to 30% by 2032 as part of a broader climate change mitigation strategy.

However, Muturi’s revelations raise concerns about how the funds were being handled and the transparency of government projects.

Muturi’s Verdict on Ruto’s Leadership

Following this incident, Muturi strongly criticized Ruto’s presidency, calling it "the most unfortunate thing that could have happened to Kenya."

His remarks add to growing tensions within the government and fuel further scrutiny into high-level decision-making and financial transparency.