Public Service Cabinet Secretary Justin Muturi has intensified his fight against abductions and the disappearances by calling for the setting up of a commission of inquiry to investigate the matter, following the the discovery of four men, who were picked up in Mlolongo in December, dead in a city mortuary.

“If the issue of abductions is not addressed urgently, it could plunge our country into chaos and anarchy,” he warned, adding that that Kenya needs to confront a crisis that is robbing families of their sons and daughters.

For CS Muturi, this is no abstract policy issue; it is personal. Last year, his son was abducted, a nightmare that forced him to seek President William Ruto’s direct intervention to secure his release. 

But even as his son was freed, several families remain in the dark, waiting, hoping, and fearing the worst. “I was fortunate to have direct access to the President,” he admitted. “But what about the many parents who have no such access?”

In Kenya, the specter of abductions and enforced disappearances looms large. Young men vanish without a trace. Families search desperately for answers. Mothers and fathers, like CS Muturi, are left helpless as their children become statistics in a growing wave of state-linked disappearances. 

“It is unacceptable that families can go for 40 days without knowing the whereabouts of their loved ones while we sit here talking about the economy,” he decried. “Economy for who? If we are killing our young people, who are we building the economy for?”

Despite government assurances during the 2022 election campaigns that enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings would not happen under their watch, the grim reality persists. “Yet, here we are, watching them become normalized. This must stop,” he declared.

The Call for a National Dialogue

CS Muturi is demanding more than outrage—he is calling for a national reckoning. “This is not just a legal issue,” he asserted. “It is a national crisis that demands immediate and collective action.” His proposal? A national dialogue that sets aside all distractions to focus solely on the epidemic of disappearances and murders.

The CS noted that no one—whether in government or the security sector—is exempt from accountability. “Regardless of your position in society, government, or security sector, you carry personal responsibility for your actions. You cannot be excused for obeying illegal orders, wherever they may be from.”

“Store the Pictures—One Day, They May Be the Answer”

Perhaps the most chilling aspect of Muturi’s statement was his call to ordinary Kenyans. Recognizing the power of digital evidence, he urged citizens to document what they see. “To Kenyans, store the pictures you have taken safely. One day, the pictures may be the answer to the intriguing situation we have.”

It was a reminder that in the age of smartphones and social media, the truth can no longer be buried as easily. 

CS Muturi’s stance places him in a unique position. As a senior government official, he is calling upon the very administration he serves to take decisive action. “It suffices that I sit in government, and I am calling on government, whose head is the President—this matter on abductions must be discussed.”

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