Since independence, Kenya has had some government officials who have stood out from the crowd by either protecting the president or simply throwing their political weight around.
During the late Mzee Jomo Kenyatta’s reign, the strongmen who surrounded him included Peter Mbiyu Koinange, Charles Njonjo, Isaiah Mathenge, and James Mungai.
Under former President Moi’s reign, the powerful leaders were the late Nicholas Biwott, Mark Too and Zakayo Cheruiyot.
During Kibaki’s presidency, Narc Kenya leader Martha Karua was his staunchest supporter, while the late John Michuki was Mr Fix-It.
In President Uhuru Kenyatta’s era, Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i has stood out because of his ability deliver results in government.
Dr Matiang’i was criticised for allegedly exceeding his mandate of overseeing government operations.
Since his appointment to President Kenyatta’s administration in 2013, the ‘super minister’ seemed to wield absolute powers and rattled many people with his combative style.
When he was appointed to the Ministry of Information Communication and Technology (ICT), Dr Matiang’i championed the controversial migration of television broadcasting from analogue to digital, amid outcry from the media.
Many Kenyans were left with blank screens after the government switched off the analogue transmission.
When the CS took over at the Ministry of Education, he disbanded the Kenya National Examination Council’s board.
Many praised him for being firm on cheating cartels and abolishing the ranking of schools.
Matiang’i was then appointed to the Interior Ministry after the death of Maj Gen (Rtd) Joseph Naissery.
Uhuru picked Matiang’i to coordinate all government development projects, a move that further sucked him into succession politics, with Ruto allies criticising his expanded mandate.
During the 2017 General Election, the Interior CS led police to crack down on opposition protests against the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) before and after the 2017 General Election.
The Super CS then drummed up support for the handshake between President Uhuru Kenyatta and ODM leader Raila Odinga whom he described as a statesman.
While taking a dig at the then Deputy President William Ruto and his Tanga Tanga group, Matiang’i said he and his Principal Secretary Karanja Kibicho only take instructions from the President who appointed them.
“A country is led like a family. Is there a family that is led by two men? No. A family is only led by one man,” he declared.
On the morning of Thursday, August 26, 2021, Ruto’s security detail with the elite presidential escort guards were asked to clear from his Karen and Sugoi residence and were replaced with Administration Police officers.
The then DP’s spokesperson David Mugonyi said the changes were made without any explanations from security chiefs who even declined to comment on the change of guard.
Ruto and his allies took to their social media platforms to call out the state over the matter.
On Wednesday, September 1, 2021, during a session with the Administration and National Security Committee, Matiang’i chided the second in command for lamenting over the changes in his security adding the decision was made to improve efficiency.
“The problem with our country is that some people suffer from sympathy addiction. They’re always looking for opportunities to lament about this and that to attract sympathies,” he said.
Matiang’i said security chiefs make their decisions meticulously because they are held accountable for their actions.
The reorganisation led to more rivalry between the CS and the deputy president, especially after a list of Ruto’s properties was tabled in Parliament.
The Interior CS was demonstrating the extent to which the DP is protected including businesses where he spends time.
“There are officers who are assigned by the Inspector General because of a direct request from the office of the deputy president to installations owned by the DP or businesses where he is likely to spend time, therefore his security is a concern.
“For example Kitengela Gas where the deputy president has a gas business (6 officers), Weston Hotel (6 officers), Murumbi Farm, 6 officers, ADC Laikipia Mutara Ranch 6 officers, Dolphin Hotel 6 officers, Matter Farm in Taita Taveta 6 officers, Elgon View Private residence 4, Poultry Farm Eldoret 4, Private Residence Eldoret 4, Wilson Airport Private Hangar 4,” Matiang’i said.
Ruto responded by saying that the list was only 70% accurate, and denied owning 10,000 acres of land in Laikipia.
“I saw the people from the Office of the President helped do a lifestyle audit for me but they forgot to include 400,000 shares in Safaricom and also say how many officers are protecting them.
“They also forgot to say that my chicken farm has 200,000 hens and I sell 150,000 eggs every day which is about Sh1.5 million daily. They should have gone to the bank and reveal my balance and the loans I have,” Ruto said.
He added that after starting with the deputy president, they should continue auditing the lifestyle of other leaders.
He then accused Matiang’i of using the saga to settle political scores with him and termed the CS’s remarks as malicious.
Ruto was on August 2, 2021, barred from travelling to Uganda in a dramatic scene at Nairobi’s Wilson Airport after he allegedly failed to seek clearance from the Immigration department.
He was made to wait for more than four hours for clearance from “above” at the airport’s VIP lounge to no avail.
Reports from his Harambee House Annex office indicated the DP was travelling to Uganda on a one-day private visit to honour an invitation by some unnamed business moguls.
He was to be accompanied by a team of politicians and business people.
Among those scheduled to accompany him were MPs Oscar Sudi (Kapseret), Benjamin Tayari (Kinango) and Ndindi Nyoro (Kiharu), who were the first to arrive at the airport but were blocked by Immigration officers and asked to seek clearance from National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi.
Impeccable sources said the MPs sought Speaker Muturi’s intervention to travel as directed by Immigration officers but it’s alleged Muturi advised the legislators that they did not need his clearance to travel for private engagements.
According to sources at Immigration, they were under strict instructions not to allow the DP to travel unless with express authority from Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i, under whose docket the Immigration department falls.
Shedding light on his ordeal, Ruto tweeted: “Isorait… tumwachie Mungu. (We leave it to God).”
The Payback
After being sworn in as the president, Ruto ordered an investigation into the alleged extra-judicial killings by police officers attached to the disbanded Special Service Unit (SSU) of the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI).
“I believe we can keep this country safe and secure without tormenting our people. We can efficiently and effectively suppress crime, monitor, disrupt and apprehend criminals without abducting, torturing, killing or causing citizens to disappear,” he added.
The Raid
On February 8, 2023, police allegedly raided former Interior CS Fred Matiang’i’s home in Nairobi.
Sources claimed that elite police officers arrived and surrounded his Karen home in a bid to arrest him for unspecified reasons.
However, the Interior CS Kithure Kindiki reiterated that he was not aware of any raid at the former CS’s Karen home.
While terming the alleged incident as unfortunate, the CS said he would never seek to use his office to frustrate former state officers.
“So, I’m careful not to use my time to try and hurt people, demean people or treat people unfairly because I will also be a former minister at some point.
“People who serve the country in different capacities need to be given time when they leave the office to lead their lives and feel safe because today I’m the minister tomorrow there will be another Kenyan will be occupying the position I’m occupying today,” Kindiki said.
Inspector General of police Japhet Koome, EACC, ARA all denied claims their officers went to Matiangí’s house.
The denial by state agencies of the said attempted raid left many wondering who the people behind the same were.
News of an alleged police raid in Matiang’i’s home seemingly did not trend in Kisii county. Only a handful of political leaders condemned the action. A section of the leaders appeared to justify the raid.
Kisii leaders who are allied with President William Ruto said the former CS acted in a similar manner when he worked in President Uhuru Kenyatta’s government.
In the letter dated February 27, EACC has also asked to be furnished with certified copies of Matingi’s wealth records for a period covering 2012 to 2022.
The CS has faced scrutiny over a Sh1.5 billion payout in compensation for a 17.7 acre parcel in Nairobi’s Ruaraka. The payment was flagged as irregular after it emerged the land in questioned belonged to the public.
Matiang’i Exit Unannounced
However, Matiang’i jetted out of the country days before he was ordered to present himself at the DCI headquarters.
Dr Matiang’i was required to appear the following day to assist the State in its investigations against the former CS on allegations of false information arising from the alleged raid on his home on February 8.
In a letter addressed to the DCI by the Immigration Department on Tuesday, February 28, it was noted that Matiang’i left the country on February 19.
The former CS was reported to have boarded a plane at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) on that day.
“He departed on February 19, 2023, through JKIA on KLM flight number KL 566,” read the letter in part.
All eyes are now fixed on the JKIA International Arrivals terminal, awaiting the return of Matiang’i who will make DCI his first stop. Is this the beginning of the End of Uhuru’s total man?? Or a pedestal for the reigning Gusii Kingpin.
