Kenyan Minister Justin Muturi claims that an intelligence agency is behind the kidnapping of his son

A Kenyan government minister has claimed that the country’s National Intelligence Agency is behind the kidnapping of his son last year, as criticism continues over a rise in abductions.

Public Service Cabinet Secretary Justin Muturi said the National Intelligence Service (NIS) should have released his son at the invitation of President William Ruto.

Muturi is the first member of the government to publicly criticize the government’s handling of the wave of kidnappings in Kenya.

In a statement to the police’s criminal investigation unit on Tuesday, Muturi detailed how his son, Leslie, was abducted on June 22 last year.

Mr Ruto and the intelligence agency have not commented on his allegations.

At least 80 people, including the minister’s son, have been abducted in the past six months, according to a state-funded human rights group.

The wave of kidnappings began after protests against tax increases last June and has continued ever since.

Some of the abductees were released after public pressure.

Earlier in the week, the minister told reporters that he had not received answers about his son’s abduction, despite contacting top security officials.

Muturi said the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) subsequently invited him to record a statement with them, telling him the matter was still under investigation.

In his statement to the DCI, Muturi recalled calling the Inspector General of Police, the Home Minister, the DCI chief, the head of the intelligence agency and other top officials as he desperately searched for his son – but, he added, they were all unable to help.

He said he also sent a message to Ruto but later decided to visit his official residence to discuss the matter with him directly.

“Then I told about the ordeal [to the president] including my interactions with various senior government officials who could not help. I expressed my belief that the NIS is holding my son,” Muturi said in a statement.

He said the president joked about it and then called the head of the intelligence agency, who promised to release his son in an hour.

“I heard the president ask [NIS director] Noordin Haji if he held my son. [He] confirmed that he is indeed holding my son and the president ordered him to release Leslie immediately,” Muturi added.

Muturi has faced calls from some pro-government politicians to resign for publicly criticizing the government he serves in.

Foreign nationals were also abducted, including prominent Tanzanian activist Maria Sarungi Tsehai, who on Monday said she was abducted by armed men and released several hours later.

Last year, Ugandan opposition leader Kizza Besigye was abducted in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi, allegedly by Ugandan security officials, and taken across the border to be tried by a military court.