Former Interior Cabinet Secretary Dr Fred Matiang’i address Luanda residents in Vihiga County, on July 3, 2025.
Former Interior Cabinet Secretary Dr Fred Matiang’i is quietly crafting his 2027 presidential bid, blending policy pledges, coalition deals and grassroots mobilisation in a strategy aimed at challenging President William Ruto’s grip on power.
After months of keeping a low profile, the once-powerful minister in the Uhuru Kenyatta administration has resurfaced with fiery rhetoric, casting himself as a reformist with the temperament, experience and networks to redeem Kenya from what he calls a failing regime.
Speaking at a burial in Nyasore village, Kitutu Masaba Constituency in Nyamira County last Friday, Dr Matiang’i accused the Kenya Kwanza administration of drowning in corruption, mismanagement and misplaced priorities.
“What we are witnessing is nothing but unsettling gluttony and wanton theft of resources. Someone is quickly driving the country into collapse,” he said, urging Kenyans to prepare for a change of guard in 2027.
But behind the hard-hitting words lies a carefully calculated political plan.
Multiple party meetings, secret technical committees and outreach missions across the country suggest Dr Matiang’i is not merely a government critic, but is steadily laying a roadmap to State House.
Fixing economic mess
According to insiders, his pitch rests on three core promises: restoring integrity in government, fixing Kenya’s economic mess and investing in human capital.
Dr Matiang’i is anchoring his campaign on the anti-corruption platform, promising to “end the madness” of looting in government. He draws sharp contrasts between his technocratic approach under President Kenyatta and what he calls the “heist culture” in Dr Ruto’s administration.
Former Interior and Coordination of National Government Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiangi.
With Kenyans groaning under high taxation and ballooning debt, he has promised economic relief through a “People’s Economic Compact”—a blueprint that envisions debt restructuring, curbing wastage, and incentivising local industries.
As a former Education CS, he has pledged to overhaul what he describes as a chaotic education system and streamline the Social Health Insurance Fund, which he calls “a lifeline turned scam.”
Mobilising the youth vote is central to his strategy. He has urged young people to register as voters, telling them: “We are beyond handouts. Kenyans need order, dignity and stability. That’s the leadership I represent.”
On August 21, Dr Matiang’i chaired a meeting with leaders from six parties—UPA, Jubilee, DEP (Bus), PDP, KSC and PNU. A technical team was formed to explore merger options or the creation of a coalition party to serve as his 2027 vehicle.
There are reports that Jubilee leader Uhuru Kenyatta could step aside for Matiang’i during a planned National Delegates Convention (NDC).
The technical committee is tasked with mapping grassroots mobilisation and drafting a joint manifesto on which Matiang’i’s campaign will hinge. His approach mirrors Ruto’s 2022 “hustler nation” playbook—smaller ward and constituency-level meetings designed to build deeper connections with voters rather than relying on grand rallies.
Disciplined technocrat
“Those asking why I am silent and not hitting campaign trails—I know what I am doing. I will surprise them,” he told mourners in Nyamira.
His handlers say he will increasingly deploy town-hall style meetings and policy forums to push his message, positioning himself as a disciplined technocrat offering “issues, not insults.”
Former Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang'i acknowledges greetings from members of the public in Borabu Constituency, Nyamira County on May 02, 2025.
His World Bank stint has bolstered his global networks, with business elites said to view him as a stable alternative to both Ruto and the traditional opposition class.
“He is building quietly and peaking closer to 2026. Unlike others aggressively positioning themselves now, he wants to strike later,” said United Progressive Alliance chairperson Nyambega Gisesa.
But his path is fraught with obstacles. Critics have branded him an “Uhuru project,” a dangerous tag in Kenya’s anti-establishment politics. His Kisii community, while supportive, forms a small voting bloc, forcing him to court wider alliances.
To that end, Dr Matiang’i is engaging the emerging “United Opposition,” a loose outfit bringing together Kalonzo Musyoka’s Wiper, Martha Karua’s PLP, Eugene Wamalwa’s DAP-K, Rigathi Gachagua’s DCP, Uhuru’s Jubilee and his Gusii-based parties.
Still, cracks are already showing. Jubilee has endorsed Matiang’i while Gachagua is quietly rooting for Kalonzo. Wiper insiders dismiss him as an Uhuru project. Meanwhile, Eugene Wamalwa faces competition from Governor George Natembeya’s Tawe Movement, threatening to split the Luhya vote.
Former Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang'i addresses members of the public at Gusii Stadium, Kisii County on May 2, 2025.
Analysts argue that President Ruto remains a formidable opponent with state machinery on his side. “Dr Matiang’i must build a truly national ticket to be competitive. He must also prove he is not just another project,” said political analyst Prof Gitile Naituli.
Despite the hurdles, the former CS insists he is ready for the long haul.
“Everywhere I go, people are anxious for change. We must play the vanguard role in bringing it to the nation,” he said.
