'Economy for who!' CS Muturi calls out President Ruto over abductions, extrajudicial killings

Addressing the media on Friday at City Mortuary, where the bodies of two of four young men abducted in Mlolongo were found, Muturi expressed outrage at the continued disappearance and murder of Kenyan youths.

“This is murder most foul. It is only fair that, at this point, the country shelves any other business to discuss this matter of abductions and extrajudicial killings,” he said, calling for an immediate halt to such incidents and a full investigation into the growing crisis.

“It is not right that parents like these can go for over 40 days searching for their loved ones while we sit somewhere claiming to be discussing the economy. Economy for who? If we are killing and abducting young people, then who are we building the economy for?” he posed.

Muturi decried what he described as the normalization of extrajudicial killings, saying the government has a duty to protect its citizens rather than preside over their deaths. He also emphasized that during the campaign period, President Ruto vowed to end forced disappearances, yet they continue unabated.

“The buck must stop somewhere. Mr. President, I am calling upon you now to order an end to these abductions and open an inquiry to examine how these things have been happening. We cannot normalize this. These are very young lives that have been taken away. Their parents have been agonizing,” he stated.

He proposed the formation of a commission of inquiry comprising representatives from the Law Society of Kenya, religious groups, and civil society organizations such as Amnesty International Kenya and the Kenya Human Rights Commission to unearth the truth.

Muturi dismissed calls for his resignation over his criticism of the government, arguing that the primary responsibility of any administration is to safeguard lives and property.

“Resignation is a side issue. It suffices that I sit in government. I am calling on the government to ensure this matter is discussed,” he asserted.

The CS also questioned Kenya’s diplomatic priorities, criticizing the country’s involvement in conflict resolution in the Democratic Republic of Congo while failing to address killings within its borders.

“Why are we allowing young people to be kidnapped and later found killed? What a country are we and we are pretending to be resolving issues in DRC. The number of people who have died is so high that it should prick the conscience of any right-thinking leader,” he said.

Muturi’s remarks come after the bodies of Martin Mwau and Justus Mutumwa—who were among four men who went missing in Mlolongo last December—were found at the Nairobi Funeral Home, formerly known as City Mortuary.

For over a month, their families have been searching for answers regarding their disappearance.

On January 12, Muturi made a damning revelation, alleging that his son, Leslie Muturi, had been abducted and later released by National Intelligence Service (NIS) officers following an order by President William Ruto.