Former Interior CS Fred Matiang’i has declared interest in the 2027 presidency.
Fred Matiang’i, the once-powerful Interior Cabinet Secretary under former President Uhuru Kenyatta, is now seeking Kenya’s top seat in 2027. Speaking in Molo on Sunday, he appealed to Kenyans to give him a chance to lead with action rather than excuses.
“I am asking for the job with humility. I will not be a man of excuses. I will not be a leader who tells stories while citizens are in distress. Give me the responsibility and I will be judged on results,” Matiang’i told congregants.
Matiang’i built his name in government on efficiency and toughness. As Education CS in 2013, he won praise for ending exam leakages and clamping down on rogue schools. Later, at the Interior Ministry, he became the face of state authority, managing security operations and policing.
His style earned him the nickname “Super CS”, as he often chaired powerful cabinet committees and wielded significant influence.
Matiang’i’s rise was not without controversy. Supporters admired his discipline and focus on order. Critics accused him of arrogance and brutality, pointing to police crackdowns on protests during his tenure.
By the end of Kenyatta’s term, Matiang’i was both respected and feared in equal measure.
After the 2022 elections, Matiang’i faded from the public eye, only reappearing to defend himself from investigations widely seen as political revenge. For a time, many thought his career was over.
Now, three years later, he is attempting a rebrand, presenting himself as a reformer who promises transparency, accountability, and humility. He says he wants Kenyans to measure him by his actions, not his words.
Matiang’i’s presidential run will hinge on whether Kenyans accept his new image. Can he shed the iron-fist reputation of the Kenyatta era and win trust as a problem solver? Or will voters still see him as the hardliner who ruled with force?
In Molo, he chose a softer tone, but the big question remains: Do Kenyans want Fred Matiang’i the humble reformer, or will they still fear Fred Matiang’i the disciplinarian?
