Cabinet Secretary for Public Service and Human Capital Development Justin Muturi addresses journalists after recording a statement at DCI offices at Kilimani Police Station on January 14, 2025.
Public Service Cabinet Secretary Justin Muturi – who has kicked up a storm over abductions – has disclosed how he became a victim of a political lynch mob within the government following the Embu heckling incident.
Mr Muturi told Nation.Africa that he became a subject of attacks by State mandarins, with some officials accusing him of being part of the conspiracy to have President William Ruto’s condolence message rejected by mourners on January 3.
Mr Muturi was shouted down by mourners as he prepared to read Dr Ruto’s message during the burial of Eric Mutugi, son of former Embu Senator Lenny Kivuti.
"I have been advised wisely, you know, as a former speaker, nimeskia hiyo kura ya makelele (I have heard your vote by acclamation),” said Mr Muturi when the mourners shouted him down.
He later proceeded to question why the government was unable to resolve the recent rising spate of abductions.
"We must own up to our own inefficiencies where they are pointed out or where they occur. We cannot be here saying the great things of a young soul, then the other day others are being taken every day. We cannot say we don’t know. We are the government. I am actually surprised,” said Mr Muturi.
Speaking to Nation.Africa, Mr Muturi, who has since put the abductions nightmare at President Ruto’s doorstep, said he has been unfairly targeted after the incident.
Although he did not mention the officials who attacked him, Nation.Africa has established that Mr Muturi was reprimanded by a senior official for failing to manage the crowd.
The incident was seen as embarrassing to the President at a time when he is battling hostility in the vote-rich region. The remarks Mr Muturi made against abductions were also not taken well by government circles.
In his defence, Mr Muturi revealed that the President’s message was handed to him while he was already seated at the funeral. He said Mr Kivuti requested the church to allow him to speak last since he was set to read the President’s message. This was, however, rejected as the church allowed former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua to speak last.
“Lenny (Mr Kivuti) is my friend, so I went there not as a government official. I delivered my message of condolence, and the problem only started when I was about to deliver the President’s message. People should know that the President’s message was handed to me when I was already seated,” said Mr Muturi.
“I think the church tricked us because Lenny had wanted them to have me speak last since I was to read the President’s message. But that did not happen. It is also true that the ground was hostile,” he added.
He said that his response to why the government should own up to the abductions was triggered by former Governor Kiraitu Murungi’s remarks challenging him on why the government was not aware of who was abducting youths.
“I got mad when people said I was part of the conspiracy in what happened. What I said was to own up as a government. I was not criticising the government. But the barrage of criticism that followed shocked me,” he said.
'Heavy stones'
During the funeral, Mr Murungi said, “Are there stones which are so heavy that the government is unable to know who is abducting our children? Have the stones become so heavy, Bwana Muturi, that we cannot know where these children are, whether they are dead or alive?"
But critics have accused the former National Assembly Speaker of rocking the Kenya Kwanza administration boat from within for political expediency.
They have questioned his timing, saying it seems designed to shore up his influence in the restive Mt Kenya region and boost his chances for an elective seat in the next election. He has, however, dismissed the claims, stating that he has no ambition to run for a political seat.
Cotu Secretary General Francis Atwoli also hit out at Mr Muturi, saying instead of rocking the government from within, he should just resign.
He said the government needs to speak in one voice for stability that is necessary for economic growth.
“Workers in Kenya have a lot of problems that can only be fixed in a stable political environment. We are not interested in political bickering that has the potential of slowing down economic growth,” said Mr Atwoli.
“He should resign quietly and join Gachagua instead of dragging names of state officials like Noordin Haji (NIS director-general), who have no platform to defend themselves. What has prompted him to speak now? We don’t want officials who resort to inciting the public against the government after losing favour,” said Mr Atwoli.
Mr Muturi broke ranks with President Ruto’s administration and launched a scathing attack on the government over abductions on Sunday.
The immediate former attorney-general, whose son Leslie Muturi was a victim of abductions at the height of Gen Z protests in June last year, accused the government of engaging in the vices it promised to end.
On Sunday, Mr Muturi faulted the State, noting that more than six months after his son’s ordeal in the hands of unknown forces, he has not been charged with any offence and nobody has explained why he was abducted and held incommunicado.
