Former National Treasury Cabinet Secretary Prof. Njuguna Ndung'u has accused President William Ruto of undermining government institutions, a move he says forces civil servants to conform out of fear and weakens the independence necessary to combat corruption.

Speaking at a forum in Sweden on July 1, themed "What Aid Can Do and Cannot Do," Prof. Ndung'u emphasized that strong institutions, rather than individuals alone, are critical in fighting corruption and alleviating poverty.

Corruption as an Institutional Challenge

Ndung'u highlighted that corruption fundamentally distorts the economy by diverting resources intended for public use, making it an institutional problem that requires capacity building both at individual and systemic levels.

"Poverty is an institutional problem. Corruption robs what could have been used by the populace. When you distort the structure of the economy because of corruption, that's where we go wrong," he said. "Capacity building is needed not just at the individual level but also at the institutional level to uphold the rules of the game."

Comparing Past and Present Administrations

The former Treasury CS contrasted the current government with the administration of former President Mwai Kibaki, under whom he served as Governor of the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK). He noted that during Kibaki's tenure, institutions were better protected and corruption was openly confronted.

  • "When I served as CBK Governor under President Mwai Kibaki, corruption cases were publicly named and shamed even before court proceedings," Ndung'u recalled.
  • "That capacity to do the right thing exists but is now overshadowed by institutional failures because someone wants to overrun the institutions."

Leadership and Institutional Independence

Ndung'u criticized President Ruto's leadership style, saying it discourages civil servants from exercising independence.

"Currently, the President overruns institutions, forcing everyone within them to conform out of fear. I personally refused to engage in deals while at the Ministry of Finance because such compromises follow you beyond your tenure," he explained.

After serving as Treasury CS from October 2022 until July 2024—when President Ruto dissolved the Cabinet amid nationwide protests—Ndung'u has returned to academia, continuing to speak on governance, economic policy, and institutional reforms.