Lawyer and political commentator Ndegwa Njiru has accused President William Ruto of engineering corruption networks within government by creating systems that directly exploit Kenyans.

Speaking during a political interview on a local radio station, Njiru claimed that the very tools the government presents as reforms are in reality conduits for looting public funds.

“You cannot speak about corruption when President William Ruto himself created the systems stealing from Kenyans, like e-Citizen, which all departments must use,” Njiru said.

He argued that forcing all government services through a centralised payment channel has not been about efficiency but control of revenue streams for personal and political gain.

Also watch: Ruto defends e-Citizen platform, says technology can help eliminate waste and enhance efficiency.

Njiru extended his criticism to Ruto’s overhaul of key national institutions.

He pointed to the scrapping of the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) and its replacement with the Social Health Authority (SHA), saying the change was meant to weaken existing structures that had proven functional and replace them with new ones that lack transparency.

“He found a functional NHIF, scrapped it for SHA, weakened HELB, and is selling our most strategic assets,” Njiru added, warning that the long-term impact of such decisions would be felt by ordinary Kenyans who depend on public institutions for health, education, and livelihoods.

Elsewhere, Busia Senator Okiya Omtatah claimed that SHA is extortion, not healthcare reform.

According to Njiru, the pattern reflects a deliberate effort to dismantle trusted frameworks and replace them with systems that give the presidency control over national resources. He said this erosion of accountability is one of the reasons corruption has grown more entrenched.

The lawyer further linked the privatisation of strategic assets to what he described as a betrayal of the public trust. He claimed that selling off institutions Kenyans rely on is a sign that the government has prioritised short-term deals over long-term national interests.

Njiru’s remarks come at a time when the Ruto administration is facing scrutiny over new tax measures and reforms that have drawn sharp criticism from opposition leaders, civil society groups, and the public.

His argument adds to the growing narrative that corruption is not just tolerated but embedded in government policy.

“Systems that were meant to serve the people are now serving corruption,” Njiru said, insisting that accountability must begin at the very top of government.