MUTURI FIRING

President William Ruto, in a televised interview on March 31, 2025, at Sagana State Lodge, stated that he relieved former Cabinet Secretary for Public Service, Hon. Justin Muturi, of his duties due to his failure to attend cabinet meetings. However, in his response today, Muturi refuted this claim, asserting that his dismissal was instead linked to his stance on extra-judicial killings.

"It will be recalled that on January 12 this year, I issued a press statement condemning the rampant abductions and extra-judicial killings occurring in the country. In that statement, I called upon the government to act, release those held in captivity, and bring the perpetrators to justice," Muturi said.

He further revealed that after his statement, he was challenged by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) to record a statement with the DCIO Kilimani, as the matter was allegedly under active investigation.

Sources indicate that three cabinet meetings have been held so far in 2025. The first took place on January 21 at Kakamega State Lodge. Muturi reportedly absconded, citing the absence of an agenda item addressing abductions and extra-judicial killings. This, despite President Ruto publicly committing on December 27, 2024, at a rally in Homa Bay to ending such incidents. Muturi felt it would be against his conscience to attend a meeting that ignored such a pressing constitutional and human rights issue.

The second cabinet meeting was on February 11, 2025. Once again, Muturi reviewed the agenda and found no mention of the issue. The third meeting was held on March 11 at State House, Nairobi, and still, the topic was not on the agenda.

In his press conference, Muturi lamented that despite writing multiple letters to the President regarding the issue, he had never received a response. He emphasized that after each cabinet meeting, he received dispatches detailing the matters discussed and the decisions reached, yet abductions and extra-judicial killings were never addressed.

"I was, therefore, surprised to hear the President on live television claim that the issue had been discussed and resolved in cabinet," he said.

Muturi concluded firmly, stating, "There is no doubt that I was sacked because of my stand on the abductions and extra-judicial killings and not because of the so-called absconding of cabinet meetings."