Former Interior and Coordination of National Government Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiangi.
Former Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i is increasingly being fronted as a potential 2027 presidential contender, in what insiders describe as a ‘strategic project’ aimed at unseating President William Ruto.
In a manner reminiscent of Mr Uhuru Kenyatta — who in 2002 was considered a contender engineered by outgoing President Daniel arap Moi for the top office — Dr Matiang’i, christened as “Super Cabinet Secretary” during Mr Kenyatta’s Jubilee administration (2013–2022), is now widely regarded as being fronted by the former Head of State’s camp.
This stems from the Jubilee Party’s open endorsement of Dr Matiang’i’s candidacy, with the former ruling party —under the leadership of Mr Kenyatta — publicly backing the ex-minister, even as other opposition leaders call for unity in selecting a strong, joint presidential candidate for 2027.
In 2019, Mr Kenyatta, then president, elevated Dr Matiang’i above his then deputy Dr Ruto (now president) as chairperson of the National Development Implementation and Communication Committee, making him directly answerable to him.
The move affirmed Mr Kenyatta’s trust in Dr Matiang’i, going by the critical role he was assigned.
The team was mandated to supervise the execution of State programmes – dubbed Big Four Agenda, and comprised all Cabinet Secretaries, Attorney General and Head of Public Service.
Former Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang'i.
Dr Matiang’i returned to Kenya on Thursday but is yet to comment on the speculation about running for president even though last year the Nation revealed he had hired American lobbyists to work on his candidature.
Kisii Senator Richard Onyonka, who has publicly declared he has been holding brief for Dr Matiang’i at opposition meetings — bringing together former deputy president Rigathi Gachagua, Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka, People's Liberation Party chief Martha Karua, DAP-Kenya's Eugene Wamalwa, Mr Kenyatta's Jubilee party among others — said it is all systems go.
“We agreed to meet today (yesterday) or tomorrow (today) to draw a working plan which we shall communicate to the public,” Mr Onyonka told the Weekly review.
He said Jubilee and Mr Kenyatta’s support for Dr Matiang’i should not be interpreted to mean the former Cabinet Secretary is his ex-boss’s project.
Uncomfortable
“Politics is about popularity, agenda and manifesto. Nobody should feel uncomfortable with the support Matiang’i is receiving not only from Uhuru or Jubilee, but across the country,” added Mr Onyonka. He said Dr Matiang’i will be ready to face off with other opposition candidates in a “free and fair nomination presided over by genuine delegates or in an open consensus among the contestants.”
Jubilee Secretary General Jeremiah Kioni, who is the party’s spokesperson by virtue of his position told Weekly Review that contrary to some opinions that Dr Matiang’i is an Uhuru project, “he is actually a national project.”
“Matiang’i is a national project — a people’s project with proven track record which was evidenced during his reign as CS,” Mr Kioni said.
He said Dr Matiang’i is set to hold a series of meetings with diverse groups and leaders as they craft a programme for his campaigns.
“First thing is that people wanted to see him at home and he is now right here and will be meeting many groups and leaders as we develop a working programme next week,” said Mr Kioni.
Asked why Jubilee was vouching for Dr Matiang’i more than the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) that has been associated with him, Mr Kioni pointed out that every party is free to back whoever it deems fit.
Jubilee Secretary-General Jeremiah Kioni (in red) and other leaders and supporters welcome former Interior CS Fred Matiang'i (centre) on April 18, 2025 at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.
But the push by Jubilee appears to be causing ripples in former vice president Kalonzo Musyoka’s Wiper camp, with some of his allies feeling the party was unfairly attempting to elevate Dr Matiang’i above other opposition luminaries.
“This country is allergic to political projects. It failed Uhuru in 2002 and so Matiang’i must be ready to be a team player,” Machakos Deputy Governor Francis Mwangangi (Wiper) warned.
He said whereas it is Jubilee party and Mr Kioni’s right to market Dr Matiang’i, there are more experienced leaders in the opposition camp that deserve to fly its flag against President Ruto in 2027.
“Matiang’i is being pushed by former president Uhuru Kenyatta because he served him but sometimes it’s only fair that you start from down upwards – maybe from MCA, MP, Senator or governor, before you set your sight on the presidency,” said Mr Mwangangi.
Wiper Deputy Chairman Mutula Kilonzo Jnr, however, said in backing Dr Matiang’i, Jubilee party was only doing what every political party would do at this point, to front candidates as a bargain.
“In the fullness of time, the opposition will see the sense in fronting a single candidate. Raila (Odinga) was a Jubilee candidate in every respect (in 2022). We will soon tell them, they had their share and we supported them,” Mr Kilonzo said.
Kitui Senator Enoch Wambua warned that Kenyans will not tolerate any political projects. “I am not competent to comment on whether Matiang’i is anyone’s project. What I know is that the Kenyan public will be very unkind to any “project” aimed at giving (President) Ruto another term in office. The wrath on the project will be as severe as the wrath against Ruto,” Mr Wambua told Weekly Review.
His Makueni counterpart Dan Maanzo, also an ally of Mr Musyoka said it is Mr Kioni who is pushing for Dr Matiang’i’s candidacy “in pretext that it is Uhuru.”
“We know he is being pushed by Kioni but we can all remember who Kioni is and his shenanigans when he was Musalia Mudavadi’s running mate in 13,” he said.
“The only thing I’m happy about in Matiang’i’s bid is that he has been able to give hope to the Kisii community and taken them out of Ruto’s UDA and Raila’s ODM. This will immensely benefit the opposition in the coming election,” Mr Maanzo said.
He said Dr Matiang’i should make up his mind and launch countrywide campaigns and be ready for a nomination through consensus that will give an opportunity to the most popular and experienced candidate to fly the opposition’s flag.
Former Interior CS Fred Matiang'i and Jubilee Secretary-General Jeremiah Kioni on April 18, 2025.
But Prof Gitile Naituli of the Multimedia University of Kenya said Kenyans are not worried with Dr Matiang’i’s candidacy even if he is a ‘political project.’
“Kenyans are not worried so long as Ruto is removed from power, even if he (Matiang’i) is the devil’s project, but can remove Ruto, so be it, they say,” Prof Naituli told Weekly Review.
The governance and management expert noted that Dr Matiang’i “is the only one who sounds like a fighter, so whether he is brought by Uhuru or not, Kenyans are likely to rally behind him.”
For Mr Dismus Mokua, also a political analyst, a Dr Matiang’i candidacy should concern President Ruto.
“It should concern the president in four scenarios. One, if impeached deputy president Rigathi Gachagua agenda of a one-term presidency gains national currency and emotional support and two, if Dr Matiang’i secures support from Retired President Kenyatta and Mr Raila Odinga as well as Gen Z group,” says Mr Mokua.
Tribal partnerships
He said if Dr Matiang’i positions the 2027 presidential election as a choice between status quo and change, and creates a national movement that harvests elite resentment and is anchored in strategic political and tribal partnerships, then he will be able to complicate Dr Ruto’s re-election bid.
Political analyst Joshua Nyamori said “Dr Matiang’i is a puppet of Uhuru Kenyatta and Mt Kenya billionaires.”
“Matiang’i’s political identity is inseparable from the interests of the former regime. He was a key enforcer for President Kenyatta and has continued to serve as a project of Mt Kenya’s elite economic class,” Mr Nyamori says.
Jubilee Secretary-General Jeremiah Kioni (in red) and other leaders and supporters welcome former Interior CS Fred Matiang'i (centre) on April 18, 2025 at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.
Dr Matiang’i’s rise, he says, “was not through public service but through elite sponsorship - making him a continuation of the old political order Kenyans rejected in 2022.”
But former MCA Beauttah Omanga said Dr Matiang’i harboured presidential ambitions throughout the Uhuru administration’s second term till Mr Odinga was brought on board and Mr Kenyatta urged him to back the ODM leader’s bid in 2022.
“So being a project might not entirely be true since he had a complete team ready to hit the road. It's only that he held back his ambition because of respect for Raila (Mr Odinga) and Uhuru (Mr Kenyatta) who persuaded him not to go ahead,” said Mr Omanga, who served in Nyamira County.
Mr Maanzo said Dr Matiang’i must be ready to speak for himself and tell Kenyans what he is up to and whether he will not return to Washington leaving them in limbo.
“Whether Matiang’i will go back to Washington or he will be here is still a matter of wait and see but the people’s loyal opposition must agree through consensus to back a candidate with enough winning threshold,” the Makueni senator told the Weekly Review.
He said the former CS must be ready to crisscross the country and rally masses behind instead of using proxies to vouch for his unconfirmed candidacy.
“In politics it’s better to begin from somewhere, not just to come and seek presidency even before being an MP or governor. In fact, I’d rather support former Chief Justice David Maraga and not Matiang’i if Kalonzo is not contesting,” added Mr Maanzo.
But Mr Kioni described Dr Matiang’i’s candidacy as “real,” even going ahead to caution Mr Odinga’s ODM against any attempts to push for Siaya Governor James Orengo’s ouster as has been suggested to him, terming it disastrous.
“If ODM allows impeachment of Orengo it will be the beginning of end of ODM. Only Orengo, ODM Secretary General Edwin Sifuna and (Embakasi East MP) Babu Owino understand where the interests of Kenyans are and that’s why they have taken a position parallel with that of Raila Odinga,” he said.
On Friday, Mr Odinga moved to restore order in the party following internal strife threatening to divide it apart over its involvement in the broad based government.
Mr Odinga called for "civility and restraint," by party members in the wake of sharp divisions over the party's deal with President Ruto’s United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party.
In a statement on Friday, Mr Odinga appealed to ODM members and leaders to exercise "decorum, civility, restraint and respect for each other as they debate the current state of affairs and the future of the party."
This followed sharp criticisms by a section of pro-broad based government leaders against Siaya Governor Orengo whom they have accused of undermining Mr Odinga's role in the Kenya Kwanza administration. Mr Odinga assured ODM members that the party will remain united and focused on matters of interest to the nation.
On Saturday, Mr Kioni said Mr Odinga’s latest position was an indication of lack of trust by ODM to the Ruto administration, arguing that the ODM leader could abandon his deal with the president and embrace the opposition.
“Today, Jubilee, Wiper, ODM and several parties are still in Azimio al Umoja One Kenya and it is very possible to be in the same team in 2027,” added Mr Kioni.
jjochieng@ke.nationmedia.com
