Fred Matiang’i: The Tribal Chief Who Neglected His Own People

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 loyalty was not to Kisii, but to the political barons who used him as their enforcer.

Now that Matiang’i wants higher office, suddenly Kisii is his “turf.” Suddenly he is the son of the soil asking for home support. He did not choose Nairobi, Uhuru Park, Kamukunji, or Nyayo Stadium, where a truly national leader would prove his appeal. Instead, he retreated to Kisii —to rally people along tribal lines.

This is the very definition of tribal politics: using the emotional connection of kinship and blood to mobilize support, while having given nothing back when it truly mattered.

Why Both Truths Stand Together

If he is a “son of Kisii,” then where was that sonship when our farmers struggled? When our youth lacked opportunities? When roads lay in disrepair? When our county lagged behind in development?

If he was national-minded and too “big” to be tribal, then why does he now cling to Kisii as his springboard?

The truth is simple: Matiang’i is neither a true national leader nor a genuine son of Kisii. He is an opportunist. He acted national when power demanded it, and he now acts tribal when ambition demands it.

We must ask ourselves: are we willing to be reduced to mere stepping stones for Matiang’i’s personal ambitions? Will we allow ourselves to be remembered only when votes are needed, but forgotten when power is held?

Supporting him just because he is Kisii is not only a betrayal of reason but also an insult to ourselves. For what kind of “tribal chief” remembers his people only during campaigns, yet neglected them in government?

There is no contradiction in saying Matiang’i neglected Kisii and that Matiang’i is a tribalist. Both are true, and together they expose the hypocrisy of a man who cannot be trusted with the destiny of this nation.

Kisii deserves better. Kenya deserves better. And history will not forgive us if we fall into the trap of tribal loyalty to a man who betrayed both his people and his country.