CS Justin Muturi says he won’t join Ruto in Mt Kenya tour, cites personal policy
The CS has been vocal about his concerns regarding the government’s handling of abductions and extrajudicial killings.
Public Service Cabinet Secretary Justin Muturi has clarified that he will not be part of President William Ruto’s planned tour of the Mt Kenya region.
Muturi stated that he does not follow presidents on their visits, recalling that he maintained the same stance during former President Uhuru Kenyatta’s tenure.
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"I don't just follow the president... Even when Uhuru was the president and I was the Speaker, it was never my habit or practice to follow him wherever he went," he said.
Speaking in Kiambu after meeting with Kikuyu elders on Saturday, Muturi clarified that he would only accompany Ruto if the visit directly involved his ministry.
The CS has been vocal about his concerns regarding the government’s handling of abductions and extrajudicial killings.
He has also been absent from Cabinet meetings, revealing that he formally requested to be excused from attending until the matter is addressed.
"Attending Cabinet meetings is mandatory unless one has permission from the President, which is what I sought," he said on Citizen TV, insisting that his request was not defiance but a formal appeal to the Cabinet chair.
Cabinet meetings
Muturi has not attended any Cabinet meetings since criticising the government’s approach to abductions in January, an issue that became personal when his son, Lesly Muturi, was kidnapped.
Following the abduction, Muturi said he met with President Ruto, who reached out to National Intelligence Service (NIS) Director Noordin Haji, leading to his son’s release.
Despite speculation about his future in government, Muturi has dismissed suggestions that he is considering resigning. He reiterated that he remains in office because he campaigned for Kenya Kwanza in 2022 and is still part of the coalition.
"I'm still in government because I'm in that coalition and secondly, I participated actively in campaigning for Kenya Kwanza in the 2022 General Elections and therefore I'm perfectly in my right to be in government," he stated.
The debate over his position deepened when the Democratic Party (DP), which he previously led, issued a 30-day notice to exit the Kenya Kwanza coalition.
However, Muturi clarified that the party made the decision independently, as he no longer holds any leadership role within it.
"I had to resign as the leader of the party. I therefore don't participate in the activities of the party in any of its organs because it would be in violation of the constitution," he explained.
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