Public Service Cabinet Secretary Justin Muturi missed the first Cabinet meeting of 2025 chaired by President William Ruto held at State Lodge in Kakamega on Tuesday, January 21st, 20025.
All of Ruto’s cabinet members except Muturi were present at the meeting.
When asked by this writer whether there was a compelling reason for his absence, Muturi replied with a simple “Yes” without expounding.
On January 12, Muturi appeared to have broken ranks with the government when he held a press conference at the Serena Hotel in Nairobi and called for a national dialogue regarding alleged abduction of Kenyans and blamed the government for having a hand in it.
The former Attorney General said he had taken the divergent stand from the government position, which has consistently denied involvement, because he was a victim after his son was abducted on June 22, 2024.
His remarks sparked public debate and prompted the Directorate of Criminal Investigations to invite him to record a statement regarding his son to help facilitate ongoing investigations.
A number of officials in government castigated Muturi over his remarks saying they were insensitive as they touched on national security agency.
Muturi has scoffed at impeachment threats piled against him since his controversial presser on Sunday in which he seemingly blasted the government over the recent wave of abductions, which his own son was also a victim of.
The two times Speaker of the National Assembly said he will not be cowed by statements from “inexperienced politicians” who do not even deserve his response.
He remained unbowed on his stand to challenge the government regarding abductions in the country saying it is matter that concerns all Kenyans.
“I will just say bring it on. At my age, I’m not the kind of person to respond to some perfunctory statements made by fairly inexperienced politicians. I think they’re not worthy my response. So if anybody thinks that I don’t know what I was doing, they’re up for a rude shock,” he said.
When asked why he did not raise the matter in Cabinet, in which he sits, Muturi responded: “Cabinet does not operate ad-hoc; there must be Cabinet memorandum discussing the issue of, either, general insecurity or abductions. That has not been presented before Cabinet. And even if it were to come, it would come through the relevant Cabinet Secretary.”
Muturi’s statement comes after National Assembly Majority Whip Sylvanus Osoro announced plans to impeach him over what he termed as blackmailing the government.
