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President William Ruto on Saturday, January 18, 2025, hosted Director General of National Intelligence Service (NIS) Noordin Haji at State House, Nairobi, in a security meeting with Ethiopia’s Director General of the National Intelligence Security Service Ambassador Redwan Hussien.

Taking to his official X account, the Head of State revealed that their meeting aimed at addressing security challenges such as terrorism and organised crime, which he says require collaborative efforts among countries in the Horn of Africa.

Ruto on Kenya’s commitment

President Ruto further stated that Kenya had undertaken to work with partners and countries in the globe to bring stability.

“Security challenges such as terrorism and organised crime require collaborative efforts among countries in the Horn of Africa. Kenya undertakes to work with partners and countries in the globe to bring stability. Discussed regional security with Ethiopia’s Director General of the National Intelligence Security Service, Ambassador Redwan Hussien, @StateHouseKenya, Nairobi,” Ruto stated.

Security challenges such as terrorism and organised crime require collaborative efforts among countries in the Horn of Africa.

Kenya undertakes to work with partners and countries in the globe to bring stability.

Discussed regional security with Ethiopia’s Director General of… pic.twitter.com/xtFJYW1XmL

— William Samoei Ruto, PhD (@WilliamsRuto) January 18, 2025

The meeting comes days after Public Service Cabinet Secretary Justin Muturi dragged Haji into the abduction of his son Leslie Muturi in June 2024.

CS Mutuiri, in a police statement recorded at Kilimani Police Station on Tuesday, January 14, 2025, said that his son was kidnapped on June 22, 2024, by armed hooded gangsters along Dennis Pritt Road.

The CS recounted receiving a frantic call from his daughter-in-law, Wairimu, who informed him about the incident.

He then attempted to contact Leslie and locate him through various security agencies, including the Inspector General of Police, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), and the National Intelligence Service (NIS), but he had no success.

Muturi says he gained access to CCTV footage that revealed the identities of the vehicles trailing Leslie’s car before the abduction.

“The footage showed Leslie driving out, followed by Mwenje. The footage also captured the box Prado and another vehicle, resembling a Probox, following Leslie and Mwenje prior to the abduction,” he said.

President Ruto’s intervention

After numerous attempts to trace Leslie, Muturi escalated the matter to President William Ruto.

“Knowing the President had been attending a church service in Nyandarua, I decided to drive to State House to see him in person. I then narrated the ordeal, including my interactions with various senior government officials who had been unable to help. I expressed my belief that NIS was holding my son. The president joked, asking why anyone would want to arrest a young person over the Gen Z demonstrations,” the statement read.

Muturi then asked President Ruto to personally contact NIS Director Noordin Haji to inquire about Leslie.

“Standing outside the pavilion, I heard the president ask Noordin Haji if he was holding my son, Noordin confirmed that indeed he was holding my son, and the president instructed him to release Leslie immediately. Noordin responded that Leslie would be released within an hour,” he said, noting that his son was released an hour later as promised by Haji in his conversation with Ruto.