Former presidential candidate anoints Matiang’i as Kenya’s future president
For the past few weeks, the former Ministry of Interior and Coordination of National Government Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i has been in the crosshairs of both the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) and the Kenya Kwanza government.
The DCI has been relentlessly seeking Dr Matiang’i to record a statement and provide evidence of the report night raid police officers at Karen home on February 8, 2023. His property was allegedly carted away after the people sent to his home raided his house. Later, the police said no law enforcement officer had been sent to Matiangi’s home.
They summoned Matiang’i to the DCI headquarters to shed light on the matter. At first, Matiang’i refused to honour the summons and flew out of the country for two weeks. Upon his return, he headed to the DCI headquarters located on Kiambu Road on Tuesday where he was grilled for the better part of the day.
But in the midst of all this, former presidential aspirant, Mwalimu Abduba Dida, is of the view that the besieged former ‘Super CS’ could very well be Kenya’s first president from outside the dominant ethnic communities in the country.
Also read: Matiang’i released ahead of court date
“CS Matiang’i shall be the first minority president. What you are witnessing is a Mandela or Kenyatta moment. The two late presidents went to prison for completely different things, came out bigger and are part of Africa’s history. I’m happy that Ruto is making these mistakes,” said Mwalimu Dida.
His sentiments elicited mixed reactions as some said that some foreign leaders had gained massive support after former regimes politically witch hunted them while others wondered why some Kenyan leaders who had been political prisoners who became presidential aspirants did not ascend to the highest seat in the land.
As it is, the authorities are accusing Dr Matiang’i of spreading false information meant to cause tension in the country. Matiangi’s lawyer, Danstan Omari, told media that on Tuesday DCI officers interrogated the former CS over his assets but Matiang’i, information which he chose not to disclose, prompting the police to threaten him with arrest.
Dr Matiang’i was later released after spending hours in the DCI headquarters. Matiang’i was reportedly released on condition he will avail himself in the event he is required in the near future.
Also read: Inside Matiang’i’s grilling room at DCI
The perceived bad blood between Dr Matiang’i and President William Ruto dates back to the days of the Jubilee government when former president Uhuru Kenyatta gave more prominence, power and duties to Dr Matiangi over the then deputy president.
The siege on Matiang’i is seemingly being fronted by Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua who last week said the former CS fled the country to evade the DCI summons.
“Matiang’i is even scared of his own shadow because he used to terrorise those who did not agree with the government and now he thinks that we will use police the same way they used them to harass their political opponents,” Gachagua said in Eldoret last week.
During the campaign period, Kenya Kwanza leaders accused Matiang’i of forcing local chiefs to support Raila Odinga in last year’s presidential election against his main competitor, President William Ruto.
Matiang’i denied these claims saying the government relied on the chiefs to ensure Kenyans’ safety wherever they are, telling Kenya Kwanza leaders that they did not understand how the government works.
Also read: Gachagua – No CCTV camera has shown that police raided Matiangi’s home