Former Interior Cabinet Secretary Dr. Fred Matiang’i is back in Kenya and wasting no time reengaging with the country’s political pulse. Upon his return from the United States on Thursday night, Matiang’i made an impassioned appeal to Kenyan youth, urging them to take voter registration seriously if they want meaningful change in the 2027 general elections.
Addressing a crowd of enthusiastic youth supporters who gathered at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport to welcome him, Matiang’i emphasized that real political power lies not in protests or social media campaigns, but in the ballot.
“We can talk, we can mobilize, but if we don’t register and prepare to vote, we haven’t achieved anything,” he told the group, calling on Generation Z to turn their energy into electoral influence. “Let’s get organized. If we want quality leadership, then participation in the electoral process is non-negotiable.”
Matiang’i, who had been in the U.S. since May 18 to formally step down from his role at the World Bank where he had served since September 2022 called for unity and national cohesion, regardless of political allegiance. “We may disagree on issues, but we are one country, one family. We must always seek ways to engage one another respectfully despite our differences,” he said.
His homecoming comes at a time of heightened political realignment. Just days before his return, sources close to his team confirmed that Matiang’i had formally resigned from his World Bank position and was fully transitioning back into active politics. His comeback appears well-timed, with the Jubilee Party unveiling a fresh rebranding campaign seen as a soft launch for his 2027 presidential run.
Matiang’i’s name has steadily returned to the center of political discussions in recent months. Once aligned with President Uhuru Kenyatta’s administration, he has since repositioned himself as a key figure within Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua’s opposition bloc, signaling a strategic shift in Kenya’s political landscape.
Having kept a relatively low profile since the 2022 elections, Matiang’i’s re-entry into the national arena now seems anything but quiet. With a blend of technocratic experience, grassroots support, and growing momentum behind his possible presidential bid, his next moves are being closely watched.
If his words at JKIA are anything to go by, Matiang’i’s message is clear: the path to power and to change runs through the voter register. And he wants the youth at the front of that march.
