Former Public Service Cabinet Secretary Justin Muturi, has boldly stated that his dismissal from President William Ruto’s Cabinet was a direct result of his perspective on human rights abuses, particularly abductions and extrajudicial killings. Despite being removed from his post last week, Muturi insists that he will not stop advocating for justice.

Speaking to the press on Wednesday 2nd April 2025, Muturi rejected claims that he was dismissed due to absenteeism, as cited by President Ruto. The president alleged that Muturi’s absence from Cabinet meetings was due to negligence, but Muturi maintains that his absence was a principled protest against the government’s lack of action on critical issues.

“I did not abscond my duties. I was dismissed because of my vocal position on abductions and extrajudicial killings,” Muturi stated. He further explained that his refusal to attend meetings was due to the exclusion of these issues from Cabinet agendas. Despite several attempts to raise the matter, including writing to the president, Muturi claims his concerns were ignored.

“I sent multiple letters urging the president to prioritize the issue of abductions, but to this day, I’ve received no response. This clearly shows the lack of commitment to addressing these violations,” he said.

Muturi’s stand on being outspoken on these human rights abuses reportedly led to growing pressure from close allies of the president to remove him from office. He was particularly shocked by the president’s remarks during a recent interview where President Ruto claimed that the issue of abductions had been discussed and resolved in the Cabinet. Muturi however refuted this, stating that the matter had never appeared on any Cabinet agenda during his tenure.

“I regularly received Cabinet dispatches after each meeting, and the issue of abductions and extrajudicial killings was never addressed,” Muturi clarified. He expressed his surprise when he heard President Ruto publicly declare that the issue had been resolved. “If their goal was to silence me, they’ve dialed the wrong number,” he declared confidently.

Muturi continues to insist that his dismissal is directly linked to his commitment to addressing human rights violations and he vowed to keep fighting for accountability, no matter the cost.