A photo of Attorney General Dorcas Oduor appearing to kneel before President William Ruto has gone viral, igniting heated conversations across social media platforms.
In the image, captured during her swearing-in ceremony at State House Nairobi, Oduor is seen nearly genuflecting as she makes her way from her seat to the podium to take the oath of office.
The moment drew sharp criticism from former Attorney General Justin Muturi, who reshared a screengrab of the photo and took aim at Oduor’s gesture.
“As a former Attorney General, I can confidently say: I would never have done this. I cannot, and will not, worship any human being. This image of AG Dorcas Oduor nearly kneeling before the President is disturbing. It confirms what I once said, Cabinet operates under fear,” he said.
Muturi continued: “We must reject this culture of submission. It breeds authoritarianism, not leadership.”
Kenyans online were very quick to react.
One user, @samoita, commented, “This isn’t loyalty; it’s subjugation. True leadership demands dignity, not devotion to a person. Let’s call this what it is: a dangerous slide into sycophancy.”
@Grigor_Andolov added, “It's so unsettling to have a brilliant individual who lives in fear. I noticed her meekness and lack of conviction during the vetting, but I kept it to myself.”
As a former Attorney General, I can confidently say: I would never have done this. I cannot, and will not, worship any human being.
— Hon. Justin Muturi, EGH (@HonJBMuturi) July 3, 2025
This image of AG Dorcas Oduor nearly kneeling before the President is disturbing. It confirms what I once said, Cabinet operates under fear.
We… pic.twitter.com/GskRvPPi95
However, not everyone found the gesture problematic.
@bungomaduke wrote, “This is part of our African norms. This is what it should always be.”
Some social media users turned their criticism toward Muturi.
@MombasaWatchman said, “Would is a past tense. Maybe you did, just not on camera, so please sell us the future, not the past. Tell us why you are a better option than your former colleagues, not what you would never do.”
Another user, @JohnsonMinyari2, posted an image of Muturi bowing during his own swearing-in and quipped, “This is like a pot calling a kettle black.”
This is like a pot calling a kettle black. pic.twitter.com/i82WvGxcwm
— T•H•E W•A•N•T•E•D (@JohnsonMinyari2) July 3, 2025
Justin Muturi, who once served as Attorney General and later as a Cabinet Secretary, fell out publicly with President Ruto following his vocal stance against abductions and extrajudicial killings, an issue that led to his dismissal from Cabinet.
Muturi’s outcry was intensified after his son was abducted by unknown individuals and later released following presidential intervention. He disclosed that he missed Cabinet meetings due to the abductions and had even written to the President about the issue.
Tensions worsened when President Ruto branded Muturi “fairly incompetent” during his time in office, citing, among other things, delays in setting up a Muslim Endowment Fund.
Muturi hit back, accusing Ruto of being “irreparably corrupt” and “unfit for the position of president.”
He also claimed the President had pressured him to sign an illegal, multi-billion dollar deal with “Russian oligarchs” for a controversial tree-planting project—an offer Muturi says he declined on legal grounds.