No, Kenyan cabinet secretary at centre of a political storm has not resigned, as claimed online
IN SHORT: A resignation letter allegedly from Kenya's minister of public service and human capital development, Justin Muturi, is circulating online. But Muturi says it is fake and its contents false.
A document circulating on Facebook in Kenya claims that Justin Muturi, the cabinet secretary for public service and human capital development, has resigned.
The letter, dated 13 March 2025, said Muturi had "decided to step down" due to "unforeseen challenges" in performing his role effectively.
In the letter, Muturi thanked president William Ruto for giving him the opportunity to serve. He also said that while he may not have achieved all he set out to do, he remains committed to Kenya's development.
Muturi's troubles
The alleged resignation follows recent controversies surrounding Muturi. Notably, in January, MPs threatened to impeach him after he publicly criticised the government's handling of abductions, including the alleged abduction of his son by state agents.
Muturi condemned the National Intelligence Service for abducting his son during anti-government protests and claimed that Ruto had intervened to get him released.
Some lawmakers accused Muturi of inciting public dissent, while others called for his resignation or impeachment.
The chief whip of the ruling Kenya Kwanza party, Silvanus Osoro, gave Muturi an ultimatum to either apologise or face impeachment, accusing him of blackmailing the government over the abductions.
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However, Muturi dismissed the impeachment threats as "infantile", daring his critics to proceed.
The document has also been posted here and here. (Note: See more instances at the end of this report.)
In an earlier television interview, Muturi said he felt it was morally wrong to resign.
Has he now changed his stance? We checked.
Ignore fake document
The news of the impeachment threat against Muturi was widely reported, as was the news of his son's abduction and eventual release. We did not find similar reporting of his resignation.
Muturi also dismissed the document as "FAKE" on his official Facebook account.
"FAKE NEWS ALERT: It has come to my attention that a fraudulent letter is circulating, falsely claiming that I have resigned as the Cabinet Secretary for Public Service and Human Capital Development. I categorically state that this letter is fake and should be disregarded," he wrote.
"Let us all be vigilant against misinformation intended to mislead the public."
The fake document also appears here, here, here, here, here, here and here.
