Why I skipped Cabinet meetings- CS Muturi

Public Service Cabinet Secretary Justin Muturi has explained why he has missed the last three Cabinet meetings, saying he formally sought to be excused by President William Ruto, the Cabinet chair.

Speaking on Citizen TV on Wednesday night, Muturi confirmed he was absent from meetings on January 21, February 11, and March 12. 

He cited concerns over "injustices," including abductions and extrajudicial killings, as his reason for boycotting the sessions.

‘’I have written and sought to be excused from attending Cabinet meetings until or unless the agenda of abductions in the country and extrajudicial killings is formally tabled before Cabinet through a memorandum, so that the Cabinet, as the highest decision-making body, can express itself and give the country the way forward about those two issues of abductions and extrajudicial killings, ‘’said Muturi 

‘’I have sought to be excused for those reasons, ’he added.

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Defending his absence, Muturi insisted that skipping meetings after seeking permission does not amount to insubordination. He urged the Cabinet to prioritise discussions on human rights violations.

‘’If the Kenyan Cabinet cannot express itself, debate, and give a way forward on these issues, then it runs the risk of being condemned as being complicit, or as condoning the abductions and extrajudicial killings. It is the highest decision-making body,” said Muturi. 

When asked whether he expects to remain in office, Muturi acknowledged that the decision rests with the president.

“I do not know how much longer I am likely to last in Cabinet; that is entirely the prerogative of the President. Whatever happens is purely based on what the president desires.” 

His remarks follow recent comments by National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah, who hinted at tensions between Muturi and the president. 

Speaking in an Al Jazeera interview that has since gone viral, Ichung’wah suggested  Muturi’s exit from government could be imminent, citing unresolved differences with Ruto.

“He's a politician, to begin with. He has a beef with his boss in government. There are reasons why Justin Muturi was ousted as Attorney General during the protests in June last year. He is probably on his way out. It is he who has made those allegations. That is a matter under active investigation,” Ichungwah said.