Former Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i has said he is in the United Kingdom attending to an urgent and private family matter, even as the state closes in on him to shed light on a number of issues from when he occupied the powerful seat.
In a press release through his lawyer Danstan Omari, the former CS said he was in the United Kingdom and would return to resume his routine as a private citizen.
“My client traveled on Sunday February 19, 2023 via KLM (Passenger) Flight KL 566 on a regular private visit to the UK. Those familiar with his travel schedules over time will confirm that he travels regularly to that part of the world via KLM and — as was in this case — very openly, through open public means,” said Mr Omari.
On Tuesday evening, there was heightened speculation on the whereabouts of the former CS after it emerged he had left the country on February 19, four days before the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) announced it had issued a summons for him.
Having been the face of the former administration that opposed the ascension of the Kenya Kwanza Alliance to power, operatives in the government of President William Ruto have allegedly vowed to teach him a lesson.
Dr Matiang’i said he notified senior government officials in the security sector of his travel plans.
“Owing to his immediate role in the security sector and his status, I have instructions that my client informally notified senior security sector and diplomatic officials about his two-week trip to the UK. It is, therefore, unfair to cast aspersions on his movement,” said Mr Omari.
He said he had noted “with concern, the unfair and unfortunate aspersions in various media reports” on his private travel, as well as reported correspondence between constitutional offices on matters that are well within their mandate.
Those mandates should be exercised with due regard to the rights of every citizen, including himself, he said.
The former CS urged the media to be careful while reporting on communications that are intentionally leaked for the purpose of achieving certain objectives.
“Furthermore, and as you may all recall, our Constitution protects court proceedings from extraneous and prejudicial media reports on matters before them primarily because in our democratic society, such reports defeat the realisation of justice. The aspersions created in the reports and clearly stage-managed wars and evidently driven by inexplicable vendetta and malice,” said the CS.
Mr Omari revealed that the former CS, “is not aware of any investigations on him but reckons that constitutional offices are at liberty to discharge their mandate; and that he, too, has the right to due process as a citizen of this country.”
On Tuesday, a leaked letter addressed to the DCI showed Dr Matiang’i’s latest travel history.
The letter by the State Department for Citizen Services was in response to an inquiry by the DCI on February 27 asking for the latest travel history for Dr Matiang’i.
The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has also opened a lifestyle audit on the former CS, who appears to be on the wanted list of previously powerful officials in President Ruto’s government.
The EACC has written to the Chief of Staff and Head of Public Service, Mr Felix Koskei, seeking information on the former minister’s declared wealth.
In the letter dated February 27, EACC chief executive Twalib Mbarak informed Mr Koskei that the commission is currently conducting investigations involving Dr Matiang’i.
Public Officers Ethics Act
“Pursuant to Section 30(1) (4) (b) of the Public Officers Ethics Act, the commission wishes to request for Certified Copies of Declaration of Income, Assets and Liabilities forms for years 2012 to 2022, including the initial and final declarations,” part of the letter said.
The EACC boss has also delegated the agency’s detectives, Mr Abdul Low and Mr Paul Mugwe, to collect the documents from Mr Koskei’s office at Harambee House.
The former CS had been summoned to the DCI headquarters five days ago, ostensibly to assist in investigations pertaining to the alleged raid by police in his Nairobi home.
The government, through its various agencies, denied claims that police officers had stormed Dr Matiang’i’s house at night.
However, police raided his house later, breaking into every room as they allegedly sought CCTV camera footage.
