Former Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i on Saturday delivered one of his sharpest public rebukes of the government in years, warning that Kenya is drifting toward political instability after what he called brazen electoral abuses in the recent by-elections.
Speaking at the funeral of Canon Penina Ciambogo Ngung’i in Kanyuambora, the mother of former Embu Senator Lenny Kivuti, Matiang’i told mourners that the country was witnessing “unprecedented misuse of state machinery,” a trend he said was eroding public trust and undermining Kenya’s democratic process.
He accused senior government officials of deploying state resources, security personnel and political operatives to tilt campaigns across multiple constituencies, calling the scenes reminiscent of “the darkest chapters” of Kenya’s electoral history.
“Yale mambo tumeona wiki hii ni ya ajabu,” he said, condemning what he described as arrogance, intimidation and open bribery. “Watu wanaingia huko na ndege, na madoido… wakisema sisi ni serikali. The founders of this nation must be turning in their graves.”
Matiang’i’s remarks drew attention not only because of their severity but also because they came from a man who once wielded immense power within the same security apparatus he now criticises. During his tenure as Interior CS, Matiang’i frequently faced accusations—from civil society, opposition politicians and human rights groups—of heavy-handed policing during protests, aggressive crackdowns on dissent and the use of state security to enforce government political positions. He often defended those operations as legal and necessary, insisting that security agencies acted within the law.
That history made his warning even more pointed. “Power comes and goes,” he said. “The kind of harassment, intimidation and bravado we are seeing will destroy our country. There is a limit to which you can push people.”
His critique found support among leaders attending the funeral. Former Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mithika Linturi questioned the reported Ksh.600 million used to conduct the by-elections, arguing the money could have built local infrastructure instead of funding a single race. He predicted that President William Ruto would not secure a second term in 2027, saying no future administration would be able to deploy “that kind of money and machinery.”
Democratic Party leader and former National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi voiced similar concerns, citing alleged irregularities during voting and tallying. “We shall consider every option available, including legal action,” Muturi said. “Elections must reflect the true will of the people.”
Other leaders—including Nyamira Senator Okong’o Omogeni and Runyenjes MP Muchangi Karemba—urged the electoral commission to rebuild public confidence, warning that the country cannot afford a pattern of coercive, state-driven politics.
