In a rare and powerful statement, former Interior Cabinet Secretary Dr. Fred Matiang’i has emerged from the political shadows to urge the Kenyan government to drop its hardline stance and instead choose dialogue over force.
Speaking as protests flare up nationwide on the anniversary of last year’s deadly demonstrations, Matiang’i aligned himself with the country’s youth calling their grievances valid, their voices vital, and their resistance peaceful.
“These are not criminals. These are citizens,” he said, acknowledging the thousands who filled streets from Nairobi to Kisumu, Mombasa to Eldoret. “They are asking for justice, accountability, and a better future. We must listen.”
The former CS, now seen as a likely contender in the 2027 presidential race, warned that Kenya is inching closer to a dangerous breaking point. He described the state’s escalating use of force as not only counterproductive, but as a path that risks undoing the very fabric of the nation.
“Turning weapons on peaceful demonstrators is not a show of strength it is the beginning of a breakdown,” he cautioned. “The government must not harden its heart. Security officers must not lose their humanity.”
Matiang’i’s comments arrive at a time when tensions are high, with multiple casualties already reported during the June 25 protests. The demonstrations, largely driven by Gen Z and other youth, have taken on renewed urgency, channeling frustration over a long list of grievances among them the Finance Bill 2024, higher taxes, ballooning public debt, crumbling institutions, and shrinking educational opportunities.
But to Matiang’i, this moment is more than political unrest it’s a national wake-up call.
“We are at a crossroads,” he said. “What we do now will define our future. It’s time to pause, reflect, and come together not as rival factions, but as a people united by hope.”
In a message laced with empathy, he extended condolences to families mourning loved ones lost in last year’s violence, calling those deaths “a tragic reminder of what happens when a nation stops listening to itself.”
As government critics grow louder and pressure mounts, Matiang’i’s statement may signal a shift not just in political temperature, but in the national conversation.
