Matiang'i bounces back from hiatus, but won't just yet declare ambition

After a 14-month hiatus, former Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang'i, who left the country under a cloud of controversy after his home was raided by police, is back in the public sphere.

And the man who has mastered the art of scarcity by saying little is now being associated with the race to the State House.

His return to the country has already created a buzz and energised parts of the country, which is eager to give him a ticket that may open his doors to the State House.

 Curiously, other than reports that Matiangi hired the services of Montreal-based Canadian lobbying firm Dickens & Madson to help him strategise for his 2027 presidential campaigns, he has remained tight-lipped on his presidential ambitions.

The former powerful Cs in President Uhuru Kenyatta’s administration have also kept a low political profile since he left office after the 2022 general elections.

Matiangi jetted back to the country from the US on Thursday night and declined to address journalists who had pitched camp at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, hoping to hear from him on his political ambitions.

Despite Matiangi’s abstinence in current affairs, the former ruling Jubilee party and a Gusii based party United Progressive Alliance (UPA) have declared that they will be backing his Presidential bid.

Jubilee party leader Uhuru has been dragged into Matiang'i’s Presidential bid, with the Jubilee Party Secretary General Jeremiah Kioni announcing that the party will be backing his bid.

Although Kioni has been crisscrossing the country drumming support for Matiang'i’s Presidential candidature, Uhuru who has not been engaging in political affairs has not said a word while the Jubilee’s National Executive Council (NEC) has not ratified the decision to back Matiangi as the party’s preferred Presidential candidate.

Yesterday, Kioni reiterated that Matiang'i has received the backing of over 20 political parties, who will consolidate his support ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Recently, People's Democratic Party of Kenya Leader Omingo Magara urged the former CS to use a party with roots from Gusii land to vie for the presidency. A section of Kisii leaders, including Senator Richard Onyonka, who was at the airport to welcome the former CS, have publicly endorsed his candidature. 

“Yesterday, Matiang’i called me from where he is working for the World Bank in Latin America. He has decided to leave the job and come back to Kenya to join our brothers,” Onyonka said in January.

PA Chairperson, Nyambega Gisesa, yesterday claimed that Matiang'i would vie using the party, adding that they would enter into a coalition with like-minded parties, including Jubilee.

“The party’s national governing council met last week on Wednesday and ratified the decision to sponsor him to vie for President. The National Executive Council also increased its numbers to accommodate more players at the national level,” he said.

According to him, Nyamira Governor Amos Nyaribo, UPA party leader, has been holding the position on Matiang'i’s behalf, noting that the party leader position has been reserved for Matiang'i.

Asked when 'Matiangi would make the big announcement and who he would pick as his running mate, Gisesa said, “Still too early. The candidate will guide his running mate at an appropriate time. Our work as a party is to prepare a nationwide political structure for him.

Besides Matiang'i, former Chief Justice David Maraga, who also comes from the Gusii community, has declared interest in the State House race.

On April 1, a section of the leaders from the community clashed at a funeral over Maraga’s presidential ambitions, even as he dismissed accusations that he was attempting to sabotage Matiang'i's presidential ambitions.

Maraga stated that he would not decline a call from Kenyans to run against President William Ruto in 2027, placing him at odds with those supporting Matiang’i.

 Gisesa questioned the timing of Maraga’s announcement regarding his presidential bid.

 Should Matiang'i declare his candidature, he may be confronted by ghosts of his tenure as Interior Cs seems to, as some critics have associated him with the extrajudicial killings, disobedience of court orders and impunity associated with switching off signals.

In his tenure, police officers were accused of using excessive force to disperse peaceful protesters, which led to deaths such as Bay Pendo, Baby Moraa, among others.

“Matiangi is the face of impunity! We never forget the river Yala bodies, Kianjokoma bros, babies Pendo, Mutinda & Moraa. The 100s of unarmed youths killed under his watch,” Mzalendo Halisi posted on his X handle.

But his legacy as Education CS has been hailed by the stakeholders, who praised him for restoring the dignity of the sector by taming examination cheating.

A section of Kenyans supporting Matiangi’s bid said he was the best bet to counter Ruto in 2027, saying he was the strongest compared to the Opposition leaders.

“Matiangi's entry into the presidential race, William Ruto has completely locked out of the Nyanza and Western regions, regardless of Raila’s support. Ruto might even choose not to defend his seat in 2027 to avoid humiliation, a government critic, Cornelius Rono, said in his X account.