Muturi raps Ruto, again, over abductions

Justin Muturi CS Public Service interracts with families of the abducted and missing persons at City Motuary on Jan 31, 2025. [Jonah Onyango, Standard] Public Service Cabinet Secretary Justin Muturi has, for the second time, hit out at his boss President William Ruto over the current spate of abductions and extrajudicial killings. The CS yesterday called for the setting up of a commission of inquiry to probe the incidents. Breaking ranks with his Cabinet colleagues, Muturi also called for national dialogue, cautioning that the abductions and death of youths could lead to chaos and anarchy. In a hard-hitting message directed at his boss, Muturi told Ruto that as President and Commander-in-Chief of the Defense Forces, the buck stops with him. "We say the buck must stop somewhere. In this case, the President, head of government and Commander-in-Chief of all Defence Forces. Therefore, Mr President, I am calling upon you now to order an end to these abductions and extrajudicial killings as you promised," Muturi said. Muturi called on Ruto to institute a commission of inquiry to investigate and unearth the menace that has left several families reeling in pain and agony over the mysterious disappearance and killings of their loved ones. "I am calling upon you now to go down to these abductions which you promised to end, extrajudicial killings, and open an enquiry to examine and enquire into how these things have been happening," Muturi said. He suggested that the commission should involve representatives from all sectors, including government officials, the legal society, religious groups and civil society organisations. READ: 'The buck stops with you,' CS Muturi to Ruto over abductions "We want the truth and to put an end to this," he said. National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetangula also waded into the matter, calling on "agencies of administration of Justice, the office of Inspector General of Police, Directorate of Criminal Investigations and Director Public Prosecution to investigate and come to the root cause of who is kidnapping people and later killing them. "The police say they are not the ones doing it. We want them to investigate and tell Kenyans who these criminals in our midst are," Wetangula said. Muturi called on Ruto to take full responsibility for the heinous acts, insisting that the President cannot absolve himself from the killings. "What do you think these parents are feeling? This is murder most foul," he said. Muturi, who was addressing the press at City Mortuary on Friday, took a direct jab at his boss, calling him out for his indecisive action against the perpetrators of the violence meted on Kenyans by unknown people. This is the second time Muturi openly criticised the government he serves over the escalating cases of abductions and extrajudicial killings. On January 12, Muturi made a damning revelation, alleging that his son, Leslie Muturi, had been abducted and later released following an order by President Ruto. "How about these parents and relatives who cannot reach the President? It is something that is so serious that we must shelve all other things that we are doing," he said. Muturi was accompanied by the bereaved families and their lawyer Dan Maanzo, who is also Makueni Senator. Maanzo criticised the President and Cabinet Secretary for Interior for failing to take action against the "criminals terrorising the country." "We want the President and the Minister to tell us, how people with handcuffs, guns and hoods, moving around with fake number plates be allowed by police to do this," he posed. The furious Muturi said the Head of State cannot claim to be restoring the economy while neglecting the responsibility of protecting the lives of citizens who should be enjoying the benefits, with some losing their lives in unclear circumstances. "It is not right that parents like these can go for over 40 days searching for their loved ones while we sit somewhere claiming to be discussing matters about the economy of this country. Economy for who? If we are killing and abducting young people, then who are we building the economy for?" posed Muturi. Mutilated bodies The CS had visited the morgue to stand in solidarity with the families of two of the three youths who went missing from Mlolongo in Machakos County last December, whose mutilated bodies were found at the mortuary on Thursday. Muturi's remarks came a day after the bodies of Martin Mwau and Justus Mutumwa were found at the city morgue. The family of Kalani Mwema who went missing on December 16 while traveling to Mwingi from Mlolongo are still hopeful that their kin will be found alive. ALSO READ: Is Nairobi becoming a haven for abductions? "I am optimistic that my brother will be found alive," Monica Mwende, Mwema's sister told the Saturday Standard at the morgue. She spoke yesterday after failing to find their kin at the mortuary where the family had gone to confirm if the unidentified bodies discovered at the facility could belong to him. While describing the surge in abductions and killings as a normalisation of extrajudicial killings in the country, Muturi questioned the country's honesty in brokering peace in the war-torn Democratic Republic of Congo. "Why are you allowing young boys and girls to be kidnapped only to be found killed, surely? And we are pretending to be solving issues in DRC, the number of people who have died are so many that should prick the conscience of any thinking leader in this country," he said. More families whose kin are missing are still emerging with the latest case being Pius Wekesa, a local daily newspaper vendor whose whereabouts remain a mystery since last Tuesday. According to the family, the 55-year-old went missing along Nairobi's Kimathi Street, wearing a blue dust coat.

Muturi raps Ruto, again, over abductions

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Muturi raps Ruto, again, over abductions

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