By Fred Allan Nyankuru Once upon a time we looked to progressives as the ultimate champions of freedom. They were the ones on the front lines, fighting for your right to speak your mind without looking over your shoulder, to simply walk down the street as you are, to choose your own path in life. They stood for the idea that true liberty requires space for all kinds of thought; that my conscience is mine, and yours is yours, and tolerance is the only glue that can hold a diverse society together. But something has shifted. Slowly, almost without us noticing, that noble mission has curdled into its opposite: control. The very voices that once screamed for unfettered expression now build the case for censorship, cancellation, and silence. And the most painful irony? It’s all done in the name of “keeping us safe” or “promoting freedom.” It feels like we’re losing the plot. Let’s be honest with each other: freedom of opinion was never meant to be clean, comfortable, or convenient. By its v...

By Fred Allan Nyankuru Kenya has a dangerous habit. We cheer noise instead of results. We mistake fear for discipline. We confuse intimidation with leadership. Few people illustrate this national weakness better than Dr. Fred Matiang’i —the “super minister” who, in truth, left the education sector wounded, humiliated, and poorer. Behind his image of a “no-nonsense reformer” was not a saviour, but a bully. His reign was not about building an education system for the future, it was about stamping authority, silencing dissent, and turning public institutions into stages for his own performance. Teachers remember Matiang’i’s school visits not as opportunities to improve, but as days of terror. Head teachers who had dedicated decades to moulding young lives were paraded like criminals for the smallest of mistakes, sometimes over things beyond their control. These inspections were not about accountability; they were about humiliation. They destroyed morale and dignity, reducing professionals...

By Fred Allan Nyankuru Ask any police officer in Kenya, and they will tell you that when Dr. Fred Matiang’i was appointed Cabinet Secretary for the Interior Ministry, there was hope in the air. At last, they thought, reforms were coming. At last, the years of stagnation, poor pay, and neglect would be addressed. But instead of reforms, what police officers received was betrayal. Matiang’i presided over one of the darkest chapters for the National Police Service. He sold efficiency to the public, but what he gave the officers was oppression, corruption, and career destruction. Kenya’s police officers are some of the most self-driven and self-taught men and women in public service. Many have pursued further education in criminology, law, psychology, forensic science, ICT, and other relevant fields while still serving in uniform. They did this hoping that one day merit would count. They did this believing that reforms would reward their effort and sacrifice. But Matiang’i dashed those hop...

By Fred Allan Nyankuru Some have accused me of contradicting myself when I say two things about Dr. Fred Matiang’i. One, that he neglected the Kisii people when he held immense power in government. Two, that he is a tribalist for choosing Kisii as the launchpad for his political campaigns. But these two truths are not contradictions. They are, in fact, complementary. They reveal the essence of Matiang’i’s political character: a man who abandoned his people when it mattered, only to come back later to exploit them as a political shield. When Matiang’i sat in the powerful seat of Interior CS, he had every opportunity to lift Kisii. But what did we get? No new industries. No revived agriculture. No better roads or hospitals. No economic empowerment for our youth. He spoke loudly in Nairobi, flexed power against political opponents, and projected himself as a “national leader.” Yet, in all that noise, Kisii was forgotten. Our sons and daughters got nothing more than empty rhetoric. His loy...

By Fred Allan Nyankuru There is a dangerous myth circulating in our beloved Kisii: that because Dr. Fred Matiang’i is “one of our own,” we must blindly support him for higher office. That his surname alone, his birthplace, his shared heritage with us, is enough reason to overlook his deeds or misdeeds. I reject this myth, and so should every thinking Kisii. Ethnicity Is Not a Free Pass for Tyranny. Let us ask the hard question: What did Fred Matiang’i ever do for Kisii when he held immense power in government? Did he bring industries? No. Did he improve our infrastructure? No. Did he lift our schools, or hospitals, or farmers? No. Did he champion our youth languishing in unemployment? No. And if anyone dares show me even a single tangible achievement for Kisii under his watch, then I will say that rain can fall in the form of milk. Zero. Because the truth is simple: Matiang’i did nothing for Kisii. What he did instead was to protect the interests of his masters in Nairobi. He became th...

By Fred Allan Nyankuru In today’s cultural climate, we are witnessing an alarming trend where the dissolution of marriages and relationships is increasingly rationalised under the mantra of “personal happiness.” Social media feeds are filled with posts —sometimes veiled threats, sometimes outright blackmail, where one parent, usually the mother, calls out the father for not being present in the lives of children after a breakup. The message often reads the same: “Men must care for their children even if they separate from the mothers, because tomorrow’s children will not search for absentee fathers.” At face value, this sounds like a noble admonition. But scratch beneath the surface, and one uncovers an uncomfortable truth that society is reluctant to acknowledge: many fathers are rendered “absent” not because of indifference, but because of systematic manipulation, exclusion, and alienation, even when they continue to provide financially and attempt to fulfil their fatherly role. Par...