NAIROBI: Former Siaya gubernatorial aspirant and former police spokesman Charles Owino has criticized Public Service Cabinet Secretary Justin Muturi for alleging that the National Intelligence Service (NIS) abducted his son.

Speaking on Citizen TV’s JKLive on Wednesday, January 15, Owino dismissed Muturi’s claims as reckless, accusing him of compromising the president’s trust and mishandling a sensitive issue.

Owino questioned Muturi’s judgment, emphasizing that as a Cabinet Secretary and former Attorney General, with a seat on the National Security Council, he should have exercised more discretion.

“Even if the allegations were true,” Owino argued, “Muturi should have appreciated the president’s intervention rather than airing grievances publicly.”

Mr Owino underscored the symbolic importance of the president as a unifying figure.

“If it is true that he learned his child was with NIS operatives and sought the president’s help, he should respect that trust. It’s not ordinary for a Cabinet Secretary’s son to be abducted,” Owino noted.

Addressing broader concerns about abductions, Owino warned against politicizing unverified claims, stressing the need for caution.

He urged leaders to avoid inflammatory statements that could exacerbate national divisions.

“We may rush to make statements that worsen the situation. Politicians have made reckless remarks on this issue. NIS handles intelligence and counterintelligence, and we must be careful in our rhetoric,” he said.

Owino also highlighted the importance of Cabinet solidarity, emphasizing that once decisions are made within the Executive, members must either accept them or resign.

“NIS reports to the National Security Council and the president. It also collaborates with the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) and the National Police Service (NPS). In Cabinet, you may disagree, but once a decision is made, you have only two choices: comply or step down,” he concluded.