Public Service CS Justin Muturi/HANDOUTPublic Service Cabinet Secretary Justin Muturi has stated that he will not accompany President William Ruto on his planned tour of the Mt. Kenya region.
Muturi emphasised that it is not his practice to follow the president on tours, noting that even during former President Uhuru Kenyatta’s tenure, he did not make a habit of accompanying him.
"I don't just follow the president... Even when Uhuru was the president and I was the speaker, it was never my habit or practice to follow him wherever he went," he said.
Speaking after a meeting with Kikuyu elders in Kiambu on Saturday, Muturi clarified that he would only accompany Ruto if the visit directly related to his ministerial duties.
The CS has been a vocal critic of the government, even skipping Cabinet meetings.
In a recent interview, he revealed that he formally requested President Ruto to excuse him from attending Cabinet meetings until the issue of abductions and extrajudicial killings is prioritized for discussion.
"Attending Cabinet meetings is mandatory unless one has permission from the President, which is what I sought," Muturi stated on Citizen TV.
He insisted that his decision was not insubordination, as he had formally written to the Cabinet chair seeking exemption.
Muturi has not attended any Cabinet meetings since publicly criticising the government over abductions, an issue that hit close to home when his son, Lesly Muturi, was kidnapped while with friends, including Embakasi West MP Mark Mwenje.
Following his son's abduction, Muturi said he met with President Ruto, who then contacted National Intelligence Service (NIS) Director Noordin Haji, leading to Lesly’s release.
