Justin Muturi Criticizes President Ruto’s ‘Stadium of Advisors’ Amid Economic Strain

Former Cabinet Secretary Justin Muturi has sharply criticized President William Ruto’s growing team of advisors, questioning both their numbers and their impact on the country’s worsening economic situation.

Muturi argued that the Head of State has surrounded himself with what he described as a “stadium of advisors”, a bloated structure he compared to a “cabinet within a cabinet.” He claimed that despite the heavy financial burden of maintaining the advisory teams, Kenyans have little to show for their existence.

According to Muturi, the President’s advisors have not delivered tangible solutions to the country’s most pressing challenges. Instead, he said, the government continues to preside over skyrocketing taxes, a collapsing healthcare system, starving counties due to delayed disbursements, and a rising tide of public frustration.

“What is the point of hiring tens of advisors if all Kenyans feel is the weight of unbearable taxation, struggling hospitals, angry citizens and counties on their knees? These advisors have become a parallel cabinet, but one with no real answers,” Muturi remarked.

The remarks come at a time when Ruto’s administration is under intense pressure over its handling of the economy. In particular, the Finance Act and recent tax measures have drawn widespread criticism from households and businesses grappling with rising costs of living.

Observers say Muturi’s comments reflect a growing perception among Kenyans that the President’s leadership style has created an expensive and ineffective bureaucracy. While Ruto has defended the appointments as necessary for delivering his government’s agenda, critics argue that the size of the advisory teams contradicts his earlier promises of a lean and efficient administration.

Civil society groups and opposition leaders have also weighed in, questioning the value of the President’s advisors when counties are struggling to access resources, hospitals report shortages of essential drugs, and unemployment continues to rise.

For many, Muturi’s remarks underscore a broader concern: that the government appears increasingly disconnected from the realities facing ordinary citizens.

The debate over Ruto’s advisory structure is likely to intensify in the coming weeks as the administration seeks to balance its ambitious policy goals with mounting public dissatisfaction.