Minister Justin Muturi accuses national intelligence officers of kidnapping son

A government minister has alleged that Kenyan national intelligence agency was behind the abduction of his son last year, as criticism against the rising cases of abductions continues. Public Service Cabinet Secretary Justin Muturi said that it took a call by President William Ruto to have his son released by the National Intelligence Service. "I heard the president ask [NIS director] Noordin Haji if he was holding my son. [He] confirmed that indeed he was holding my son and the president instructed him to release Leslie immediately," Muturi said, adding that that the government is responsible for the mass kidnapping in the country, including that of his son Leslie Muturi. Muturi gave a detailed account of how his son, Leslie, was abducted on June 22, 2024. He gave a detailed account of how Leslie Muturi was kidnapped by armed men along Dennis Pritt Road in Nairobi. Leslie Muturi and Embakasi West MP Mark Mwenje were at Alfajiri Lounge, also in the city. Muturi recalled how he called the inspector general of police about his missing son, adding the police chief assured him that he had alerted all personnel on all routes, suspecting that it might have been a robbery despite Muturi's conviction that it was a police operation. Muturi said the Directorate of Criminal Investigations subsequently urged him to record a statement with them, telling him the matter was still under investigation. Muturi added that he sent a WhatsApp message to President William Ruto informing him of his son's abduction, but the text was not read. Muturi said that he also reached out to Deputy President Kithure Kindiki to help secure his son's release.