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Abductions: CS Muturi takes on Ruto, again, demands commission of inquiry
Cabinet Secretary for Public Service and Human Capital Development Justin Muturi (centre) addresses the media at Nairobi City Mortuary on January 31, 2025. He is flanked by Makueni Senator Daniel Maanzo (left) and Haki Africa CEO Hussein Khalid.
What you need to know:
- Mr Justin Muturi expressed concern over the increasing number of missing persons.
- He questioned whether there was an existing government policy supporting such actions.
Public Service Cabinet Secretary Justin Muturi has urged President William Ruto to establish a commission of inquiry to investigate the recent wave of abductions of youth, some of whom have been found dead.
Mr Muturi, who dropped a bombshell early this month when he broke ranks with the government and called for an investigation into the abductions, emphasized the need for a national dialogue and a thorough probe into these incidents, warning that failure to address the matter could result in chaos and anarchy.
“The buck stops with you, Mr. President. Because you are the president of Kenya, and commander in chief of the defense forces therefore I am calling upon the President to take immediate action to end these abductions, as promised.
"There must also be an open inquiry into the killings to uncover how these atrocities have been happening. We cannot allow this to become normal,” Mr Muturi told journalists at the Nairobi Funeral Home, formerly City Mortuary, after the discovery of bodies of two of the Mlolongo Three.
The bodies of Justus Mutumwa and Martin Mwau were found at the mortuary, with the whereabouts of Karani Muema, who was abducted with the duo between December 16 and 17, still unknown.
Mr Muturi expressed concern over the increasing number of missing persons, some of whom are later found dead under unclear circumstances.
He questioned whether there was an existing government policy supporting such actions, asserting that he was unaware of any such directive despite being part of the government.
Mr Muturi urged all government officials to take responsibility and support efforts to end enforced disappearances and extra-judicial killings.
He stressed that the ultimate responsibility lay with the President as the Commander-in-Chief of the Defence Forces.
“I am calling upon Mr President to order an immediate end to these abductions and killings. You promised Kenyans that this would never happen. We must establish an open inquiry to examine how these things have been happening. We cannot normalize this,” Mr Muturi said.
The Cabinet Secretary revealed that his own son had once been abducted but was fortunate enough to have the President intervene directly, instructing the then-Director of Public Prosecutions, Noordin Haji, to secure his release.
He, however, pointed out that many affected parents do not have the privilege of accessing the President for such assistance.
“This matter is so serious that we must shelve all other priorities and focus on it. During campaigns, we promised that extra-judicial killings and abductions would not happen, yet they are now happening, and we are trying to normalize them,” Mr Muturi stated.
He went on: “It is not right that parents can go for 40 days searching for their missing children while we sit in offices discussing the economy. Economy for who? If we are abducting and killing the youth, who is the economy for?”
The Cabinet Secretary also referenced the recent killing of two young people in Nakuru, allegedly at the hands of security personnel.
He dismissed claims that law enforcement agencies were unaware of those responsible, asserting that Kenya’s police force is among the most efficient in the region.
“We cannot be told that the police do not know what is happening. Our police are the most efficient in this region. If they wanted to crack this case and bring the culprits to justice, it would be a matter of hours or days,” he said.
Mr Muturi said the probe on the matter needed to go as high and serious as a commission of inquiry.
“This is something we must take to the next level by initiating a commission of inquiry that includes representatives from all sectors. The Law Society, religious groups, and civil society organizations must be part of this process. We seek the truth and must bring an end to this matter—business as usual is no longer an option. The agony of the affected parents is unimaginable, and we must address these issues with finality,” Mr Muturi said.
He noted that the rising cases of young people being kidnapped and later found dead are alarming and should ignite national outrage.
He questioned how the country could allow such atrocities while pretending to solve issues in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), where President Ruto, as the chairman of the East African Community, is leading a mediation process.
"Why are we allowing young people to be kidnapped, only to later find them killed? Surely, what kind of country are we? And yet, we are pretending to solve issues in the DRC. This is a very serious issue, the number of people found dead is worrying and should brink any conscious of any person in the country,” he said.