Fred Matiang'i Gets Heroic Welcome after Landing from US, Shares His Agenda for Kenyans
- Former Interior Cabinet secretary Fred Matiang'i is in Kenya to fully focus on his bid for president in the 2027 elections
- Matiang'i jetted back to Kenya on Thursday evening, June 19, and was received by crowds of supporters anticipating his return
- In a brief interaction with the supporters, the former CS counselled them to maintain their focus and mobilise amongst themselves to register massively as voters
Kai Eli, a journalist at TUKO.co.ke, brings more than three years of experience covering politics and current affairs in Kenya.
Former Interior Cabinet secretary Fred Matiang'i has jetted back to the country after his recent brief stay in the United States of America.
Source: Twitter
Matiang'i, who was reportedly in the US to clear with the World Bank following his resignation to focus on politics, was received by crowds gathered at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA).
What did Matiang'i promise his supporters?
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While appreciating the challenges faced by the common citizenry, Matiang'i told the supporters that he had returned to focus full-time on seeking solutions to them.
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He reminded them that whilst the resolve to bring positive change is evident across the nation, the only arsenal to actualise it is the voter's card.
Matiang'i suggested that it would be pointless to constantly pontificate about the much-needed reforms when the protagonists are not mobilising themselves to enlist as voters.
"People are suffering whether they are supporting the ruling power or not. The suffering and challenges are across the board. You can trust me, I am going to focus my time on how we can change the lives of our people. We can do as much as we want, but if we are not registering and preparing to vote, we have not succeeded. We must prepare to participate effectively and in a quality manner in the forthcoming elections," he said.
What message did Matiang'i have for Kenyan Gen Zs?
The ex-CS appealed to the young population that has lately been vibrantly vocal about the need to change the political status quo for the better.
Matiang'i, who declared his presidential bid last month, urged them to secure their rights to vote in the oncoming elections.
According to them, the change the public thirsts for can only materialise through an electoral process that is defined by the ballot.
"Let's organise ourselves, and please, Gen Z, we can do as much as we want, but if we are not registering and preparing to vote, we have not succeeded. The drive is we register and prepare ourselves to participate effectively and in a quality manner in the forthcoming electoral process," he said.
Who is Fred Matiang'i?
Coming from Nyamira county, Matiang’i built a profile for himself through his firm leadership while serving during former president Uhuru Kenyatta’s regime.
Source: Twitter
He joined public service in 2013 as the Cabinet secretary for ICT in Uhuru’s first term.
Before transitioning into government, the father of two had a background in academia, having lectured at both the University of Nairobi and Egerton University.
His time at the ICT Ministry was short-lived, after which he briefly served as acting Cabinet Secretary for Lands before officially taking over the Education Ministry.
It was during his stint in the education docket that he was acclaimed for his tough crackdown on widespread exam cheating that had entrenched itself in Kenya’s education sector for decades until around 2015.
His influence expanded even further in 2017 when he assumed leadership of the Interior Ministry following the death of Joseph Nkaissery.
Despite the praises, Matiang'i's tenure as the Interior CS equally courted controversy, especially due to the police brutality meted out on the opposition followers during the 2017 vote, and during the COVID-19 era when the government was enforcing measures to curb the spread of the virus.
Proofreading by Asher Omondi, copy editor at TUKO.co.ke.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
