Relief for ex-CS Justin Muturi as High Court orders IG Kanja to reinstate his security

The High Court in Nairobi has directed Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja to immediately reinstate the security detail of former National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi.

The interim order was issued by Justice Chacha Mwita at the Milimani Law Courts following a petition and accompanying application filed by Muturi against the State Law Office and the National Police Service Commission (NPSC).

The court found that the petition raised serious constitutional issues regarding the rights of the petitioner, warranting urgent judicial intervention.

“Pending the hearing and determination of the petition and application, a conservatory order is hereby issued directing the Inspector General of Police to immediately reinstate and/or restore the security of Hon. Justin Muturi, and not to withdraw or interfere with it in any manner until 24th June 2025,” read the court order dated April 11, 2025.

Justice Mwita also directed the respondents to file and serve their responses to both the application and the petition within 14 days of service.

Muturi will then have a further 14 days to file and serve a supplementary affidavit, if necessary, along with written submissions not exceeding 10 pages.

Subsequently, the respondents will also have 14 days after being served to file their written submissions, similarly limited to 10 pages.

The court scheduled the highlighting of submissions for June 24, 2025.

A penal notice attached to the court order warned that any disobedience of the directive would attract legal consequences for those involved.

Muturi, who had become increasingly critical of President William Ruto’s government before he was sacked as Public Service Cabinet Secretary on March 26, told journalists on Tuesday that his security was taken away on Monday night.

“My security detail was withdrawn last night at around 7:30p.m. Two police officers who were attached to me by virtue of my position as former Speaker of the National Assembly were told not to report on duty today,” he said.

The former CS alleged the officers were informed not to serve under his security detail anymore because he is “fighting the government.”

“If this is another attempt to intimidate me, they have dialled yet another wrong number,” Muturi added.

Muturi grew critical of Ruto’s government over the spate of abductions targeting youth since last year’s anti-government demonstrations. His own son was abducted and later released.