Kenya Must Not Make a Mistake It Will Regret: Reject Matiang’i and Demand True Leadership

Kenyans are justifiably frustrated. The high cost of living, perceived governmental aloofness, a battered economy, and the feeling of betrayal by those in power have created a storm of discontent. It is natural—and necessary—to seek change. But change is only useful if it is real change, not just the reshuffling of faces from the same rotten pack.

In our frustration with President Ruto, we must not make the fatal error of turning to Dr. Fred Matiang’i—a man whose record and associations should immediately disqualify him from serious consideration. We must remember that Matiang’i is not an outsider. He is not a fresh alternative. He is deeply woven into the fabric of the very system that has brought Kenya to its knees.

Matiang’i served in the heart of President Uhuru Kenyatta’s administration—a regime that plunged the country into staggering debt, stifled dissent, weaponized institutions, and hollowed out the economy. The Kenyatta era was marked by gross mismanagement, corruption, and rampant disregard for civil liberties. State capture became normalized. Projects ballooned into billion-shilling scandals. Freedom of the press shrank. Public trust evaporated.

Matiang’i was not a victim of that system. He was a powerful enforcer of it. As Interior Cabinet Secretary, he was the hard fist behind the smiling political elite. When the government needed orders to be enforced without question, they turned to Matiang’i. If we were dissatisfied with the regime he served, how then can we now hand him the entire machinery of power? That would be wilful blindness.

It should concern every thinking Kenyan that Matiang’i’s rumoured backers include former President Uhuru Kenyatta and the same political tycoons who looted and bled this country for decades.

Are we truly naïve enough to believe that such figures are supporting Matiang’i because they have found sudden patriotism? No. They see him as a reliable pawn, someone they can work with to preserve their power, protect their ill-gotten wealth, and insulate themselves from accountability. When corrupt tycoons rally behind a candidate, it is not a revolution. It is an insurance policy. It is a deal cut in the shadows, at the expense of the common citizen. Electing Matiang’i under such circumstances would not just be another mistake. It would be a knowing, deliberate act of national self-harm.

Kenya does not need a heavy hand, a loud voice, or a master of force. Kenya needs a gentler hand, a cooler head, and a wiser heart at the helm. We need a leader who respects institutions, not one who overpowers them. A leader who listens, not one who commands. A leader who inspires dialogue, not fear.

In this regard, the interest shown by former Chief Justice D.K Maraga—or leaders of his moral calibre—is a far more promising sign for Kenya. Such individuals embody a commitment to the Constitution, to judicial independence, to human rights, and to the spirit of democracy. They are calm, principled, and not beholden to the corrupt oligarchs of our political past.

Leadership is not about barking orders and showcasing strength. It is about guiding a nation toward justice, dignity, and shared prosperity. Kenya deserves—and desperately needs—a president who will heal, not harden, the national spirit.

We have seen this movie before: frustration leads to reckless choices. Disillusionment opens the door to strongmen. But Kenyans must resist this trap.

Choosing Fred Matiang’i because we are angry at Ruto would be like jumping from a crumbling bridge into a raging river. It would be a mistake so glaring, so inexcusable, that history would judge it harshly.

We owe it to ourselves, and to generations to come, to act not out of emotion, but out of sober, deliberate wisdom. We must demand better—not just different. We must remember that not all change is progress. Some change is just another step toward deeper chaos.

Our frustration is valid. Our hunger for change is righteous. But let us not poison our own future by making impulsive decisions fuelled by bitterness.

Fred Matiang’i represents the continuation of a broken system—camouflaged behind efficiency and strength. His support base signals a return to elite capture and backroom deals that have always left ordinary Kenyans poorer and voiceless.

Kenya needs a different spirit now. A calmer hand. A stronger soul. A leadership of principles, not merely power. We must aim higher. We must demand better. And above all, we must never again elect leaders whose history warns us so clearly against trusting them.

We cannot afford Matiang’i. Not now. Not ever.