CS Justin Muturi explains his absence from recent Cabinet meetings

Public Service Cabinet Secretary (CS) Justin Muturi has explained his recent absences from Cabinet meetings, stating that he requested to be excused from the meetings until the issues of police abductions and extrajudicial killings were on the agenda.

Muturi has missed three Cabinet meetings over the past three months, failing to attend sittings on January 21, February 11 and March 11, 2025, sparking rumors of a possible fallout between him and President William Ruto.

Speaking on Citizen TV’s JKLive Show on Wednesday, Muturi clarified that while attendance at Cabinet meetings is mandatory, he had sought permission from President William Ruto to be excused from the sessions due to his stance on the issues of police abductions and extrajudicial killings, which became widespread following the anti-government demonstrations in June 2024.

“It is mandatory to attend meetings unless given authority or excused by the chair of the Cabinet, who is the president but people do get indisposed for all manner of reasons,” Muturi said.   

“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, so that the Cabinet is able to express itself and give the country the way forward with regards to abductions and extrajudicial killings. So, I sought to be excused for these reasons.”

When asked by show host Ayub Abdikadir whether his absences were a form of gross insubordination, Muturi strongly denied the claim.

“It is not insubordination when you seek to be excused,” he said.  

Earlier in the broadcast, Muturi allayed concerns about speculations regarding his possible resignation following his perceived fallout with President Ruto, insisting that there are no sufficient grounds for him to quit office.

The former Attorney General expressed confidence in his position in the Cabinet, dismissing allegations of insubordination related to recent remarks he made, which seemingly portrayed the ruling regime in a negative light.

According to Muturi, the move to call out the President and the government over the abductions and killings of Gen Z protesters late last year falls within his sworn mandate as a public servant and he should instead be applauded for the same.