Thirdway Alliance Party leader Ekuru Aukot has criticized Public Service and Human Capital Development Cabinet Secretary Justin Muturi, suggesting his recent statements about his son Leslie’s abduction are an attempt to gain public sympathy and political visibility.

According to the police statement recorded by the CS at Kilimani Police Station on Tuesday, January 14, 2025, Leslie Muturi, was kidnapped on June 22, 2024, by armed hooded gangsters along Dennis Pritt Road in Nairobi.

Speaking on a media station on Thursday, January 23, 2025, Aukot compared Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua’s political trajectory to Muturi’s, implying that Muturi might be pursuing a similar path by generating public attention through controversial statements.

“I think Muturi, in my view, wants to follow in Gachagua’s footsteps; he’s looking for some popularity,” Aukot said.

The former presidential aspirant suggested that Muturi’s actions were motivated by a desire to get fired for future political gain.

“We’re not new in Kenya. We hear that he (Muturi) is interested in the next governorship of Embu and wants to get fired so that he can go the Gachagua way,” Aukot claimed.

In the ongoing standoff between CS Muturi and President William Ruto, which caused Muturi to miss a Cabinet meeting, Aukot referred to it as a diversionary tactic that distracts from pressing issues affecting Kenyans.

“This so-called face-off seems cosmetic to me; it’s a diversionary tactic from the real issues that impact Kenyans,” Aukot stated.

Since going public with details of Leslie’s abduction, numerous leaders have entered the public discourse, sharing their opinions.

Careless remarks

Former Police Spokesperson on Wednesday, January 15, 2025, denounced Muturi’s actions, describing them as a breach of the President’s trust emphasizing that Muturi should have followed proper procedures when handling information about his son’s disappearance.

He explained that Muturi should have followed proper procedures in handling information about his son’s disappearance

“The statement was careless from a minister. He (Muturi) has breached the trust of the President. We can have our differences, but we must be careful about how we communicate these matters,” he said.

Owino emphasized that the National Intelligence Service (NIS) handles sensitive issues and cannot disclose the nature of its operations, arguing that Muturi was given information about his son’s whereabouts based on trust.

“The CS (Muturi) has been a member of the National Security Council, Speaker of the National Assembly, and Attorney General. If he received information that his child was with the National Intelligence Service and he went to the President, it was a matter of trust and respect because intelligence is an important sector that operates in secrecy,” Owino stated.

Negative direction

On the other hand, Nairobi Senator and Orange Democratic Movement Secretary General Edwin Sifuna described the incident as a negative development for the country.

He defended the Cabinet Secretary in response to criticisms from some leaders regarding why he had not addressed the case sooner, stating that Muturi’s actions were driven by parental instincts.

The lawmaker further emphasized the need for a country that serves everyone, stating that recent incidents of abduction have made Kenya a laughingstock in the region.

“If a member of a Cabinet’s child can be abducted in such a manner, then no one is safe,” he concluded.