Public Service Cabinet Secretary Justin Muturi has maintained that he will not step down despite perceived tensions with President William Ruto’s administration.
Muturi has faced increasing criticism following his outspoken stance on the abductions and extrajudicial killings of Gen Z protesters in 2024.
Speaking during an interview on a local TV station on Wednesday, March 13, 2025, the embattled CS defended his remarks, stating that addressing such issues is part of his duty as a public servant. He argued that rather than being pressured to leave office, he should be commended for upholding the government’s principles and constitutional values.
“As far as I know, it is not the policy of the government to abduct or to have people killed. Speaking against that cannot be a ground for anybody to resign from office. Indeed, I think I should be congratulated for restating the government position, which is also informed by our constitution which we all swore to protect, defend and uphold,” he stated.
Adding;
“The issue I raised on January 12 was an objection to abductions and extrajudicial killings which were happening in the country. In that statement, I did indicate that it is time that we as government debated on those issues because if left alone, they have the potential to drag this country into chaos and anarchy,” Muturi said.
He emphasized that his concerns about the abductions and killings were aimed at safeguarding the country from potential chaos. According to Muturi, he was simply reiterating the government’s stance, which aligns with the Kenyan Constitution that protects the rights of all citizens.
He insisted that raising such matters should not be a reason for resignation but rather a responsibility of any leader committed to justice and the rule of law.
“I feel that to resign because of raising the issue of abductions and extrajudicial killings would be a cowardly act on my part. I feel that the best is for me to state it while still serving as CS because it is not personal for me,” he added.
Muturi also stressed that any individuals arrested should be presented in court within 24 hours, as required by the Constitution. He called for transparency in law enforcement processes and urged authorities to inform arrested individuals of the reasons for their detention within the stipulated time frame.
“If indeed people were arrested, they should be presented before court within 24 hours. According to the Constitution, they should also be informed within the same duration the reason for arrest, and /or abduction as the case may be,” Muturi said..
imminent exit
His defiance comes as speculation about his future in government continues to mount. National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah accused Public Service CS Justin Muturi of having personal issues with President Ruto and playing politics with his son’s abduction.
Speaking to Al Jazeera’s Mehdi Hasan on February 27, 2025, Ichung’wah dismissed Muturi’s claims as politically motivated.
“Justin Muturi, the former Attorney General and the current minister for public service, is a politician, to begin with, has beef with his boss in the government that he services,” he said.
“The minister has a reason to lie. It is all politics, he is playing politics with a very unfortunate incident.”
Ichung’wah suggested Muturi was aware of his possible removal from the Cabinet, linking it to his criticism of the government. He also referenced Muturi’s removal as AG during the June 2024 demonstrations, hinting at underlying reasons.
“There are reasons why Justin Muturi was removed as Attorney General around the time of the demonstration in June last year, there are reasons probably Justin Muturi knows is probably on his way out it is he who has made those allegations that is a matter that is under active investigation,” he added.
The pressure on him also escalated after he openly criticized the government for launching new projects while many remain stalled. While presenting the 2025 Budget Policy Statement to the National Assembly Departmental Committee on Labour on February 20, 2025, he pointed out that several development projects across the country had been abandoned for decades, questioning why new initiatives were being prioritized instead of completing existing ones.
Citing an example in Wote, Makueni, he highlighted unfinished houses that had remained incomplete for over 30 years, underscoring concerns about poor planning and mismanagement of resources.
“I don’t know whether there is something wrong with our psych as a country… the chairman I am saying this because I have travelled around this country, some stalled projects which have been there for more than 30 years. I went to a place called Wote in Makueni, you find houses whose construction started more than 30 years ago and is still stalled,” Muturi said.
This has since drawn sharp reactions from government allies, with Belgut MP Nelson Koech, a close associate of President Ruto, suggesting that Muturi’s departure from government was imminent. Koech accused Muturi of challenging the president and predicted that he would be ousted within weeks.
Further fueling speculation about his fate, Muturi was notably absent from a Cabinet meeting on January 21, 2025.
