The Majority leader of the National Assembly, Kimani Ichung'wah, has termed the claims from the Public Service Cabinet Secretary Justin Muturi that the National Intelligence Service (NIS) is abducting his son, Leslie Muturi, as politically motivated.
According to Ichung'wah, CS Muturi has a 'beef' with his boss, President William Ruto, which he says could be behind the abduction claims. "I tell you emphatically he has reasons to lie," Ichung'wah told Al Jazeera's Head to Head. When pushed back over the seriousness of the claims and the fact that Muturi is close to Ruto and sits in the Cabinet, Ichung'wah said, "He's playing politics with a very unfortunate incident." National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung'wah with Al Jazeera Head to Head host Mehdi Hasan in London, February 27, 2025.
Photo Al Jazeera While speaking in front of a live audience at London's Conway Hall in an interview filmed last month, Ichung'wah further revealed that Muturi knows 'he is on his way out.' "Justin Muturi knows he's probably on his way out," Ichung'wah said. "He definitely knows it." This highlights the internal conflicts among President William Ruto's allies, some of whom have been at odds since the rapid removal of former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua.
On January 14, Muturi accused the NIS of abducting his son, Leslie, during the anti-government protests in June 2024. In a statement recorded at Kilimani Police Station, Muturi detailed the events surrounding his son's abduction on June 22, 2024, and how President Ruto's intervention led to Leslie's release.