Nairobi — Public Service Cabinet Secretary Justin Muturi has revealed that he has deliberately skipped recent Cabinet meetings, insisting he will only attend if the issue of police abductions and extrajudicial killings is formally tabled for discussion.
Muturi, who has missed three Cabinet meetings on January 21, February 11, and March 11, 2025, dismissed speculation of a fallout with President William Ruto, clarifying that he had sought permission to be excused from the sessions.
Speaking on Citizen TV's JKLive Show on Wednesday, Muturi said his absence was a principled stance against the government's silence on the alleged abductions and killings, which escalated following the anti-government protests by Gen Z demonstrators in mid-2024.
"In my case, I have written and sought to be excused from Cabinet meetings unless the agenda of abductions and extrajudicial killings is formally tabled before Cabinet, through a Cabinet memorandum," he said. "The Cabinet must express itself and give the country the way forward regarding these serious issues."
When asked by host Ayub Abdikadir whether his actions amounted to insubordination, Muturi responded, "It is not insubordination when you seek to be excused," he said, adding that attendance at Cabinet meetings is mandatory unless one is granted permission by the President.
Muturi also dismissed claims that he was on the verge of resigning, stating there were no grounds for him to step down.
His comments come amid growing public concern over the fate of activists and protesters allegedly abducted or killed in a crackdown following last year's demonstrations. While the government has largely remained silent on the matter, Muturi has emerged as the most senior official to openly challenge the administration's handling of the issue.
He maintained that speaking out on abductions and killings was part of his duty as a public servant, not an attack on the government.
"The move to call out the President and the government over the abductions and killings falls within my sworn mandate," he said. "I should be applauded for it."
Muturi's stance is likely to fuel further debate within government circles and could test the limits of internal dissent within Ruto's administration.
