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Muturi revelation damning indictment of Ruto regime

CS Justin Muturi

Cabinet Secretary for Public Service and Human Capital Development Justin Muturi addresses journalists after recording a statement at DCI offices at Kilimani Police Station on January 14, 2025. 

Photo credit: Billy Ogada | Nation Media Group

Public Service Cabinet Secretary Justin Muturi’s unprecedented revelation of the circumstances surrounding the abduction of his son in June last year is yet another damning indictment of President William Ruto’s Kenya Kwanza government.

In a statement made to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) on Tuesday, Mr Muturi narrated how his son, Leslie Muturi, was abducted by people he believes were National Intelligence Service (NIS) operatives.

In a blow-by-blow account, Mr Muturi left Kenyans gobsmacked with the movie-like tale of his frantic appeals to key figures within the security system to secure the release of his son, to no avail. From the then Inspector-General Japhet Koome, DCI boss Mohamed Amin and NIS Director-General Noordin Haji to the then Interior CS Kithure Kindiki, Mr Muturi reached out to the who is who in government. It took the intervention of the President, who directly called Mr Haji, for Leslie to be released.

This revelation lifts the lid on the worrying trend of abductions in the country and raises pertinent questions. The question on the lips of scores of Kenyans is: If someone of the stature of Mr Muturi, who was then serving as the Attorney-General, could go through such a harrowing ordeal in the hands of government operatives, what about the average Kenyan? Given that majority of Kenyans are not privileged to have the access to the President that Mr Muturi enjoyed, to whom can they turn for intervention when faced with State injustice?

The statement by Mr Muturi lends credence to the growing belief that the government is culpable in the abductions. That the President could call Mr Haji, who had been avoiding Mr Muturi’s calls and text messages, and confirm that Leslie was being held by NIS operatives points to the fact that the government is aware of or part of the abductions.

Several months later and to Mr Muturi’s chagrin, no investigation has been conducted into the incident and his family told why Leslie had been abducted.

Rights violation

Chinua Achebe wrote that “if the alligator comes from the water and tells you the crocodile is sick, do you doubt him?”; and so Mr Muturi has clearly exposed the soft underbelly of the Kenya Kwanza regime on alleged human rights violation.

Mr Muturi broke ranks with fellow government insiders and politicians who have been defending the Ruto regime on the abductions and castigating young people for disrespecting the President on social media. He unequivocally called out the government and urged it to end the menace.

It is unfortunate that the government-allied politicians, who are now calling for Mr Muturi’s resignation, continue to bury their heads in the sand and pretend that all is well. Even more appalling are their sentiments that abductions and forced disappearances were rampant in the previous administration, hence appearing to justify the despicable state of affairs.

It is worth noting that this is not the first time Mr Haji is being thrust into the limelight for violations. At the height of the Gen Z protests last year, then Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua said Mr Haji had failed to furnish the President with sufficient intelligence.

With these latest revelations, it is crystal clear that Mr Haji's name is in disrepute and his position as head of NIS has become untenable. As a concerned Kenyan, I am of the view that he should resign.

President Ruto needs to do some soul-searching and realise that it is time he salvages the tainted image of his administration. He needs to act decisively and put an end to the abductions and enforced disappearances of Kenyans and foreigners.

The writer is a teacher. [email protected]