Matiang’i Slams Rising Insecurity And Political Violence In Kenya
Politics Updated: 18 June 2026 14:45 EAT
Jubilee Party Deputy Party Leader Dr Fred Matiang'i when he joined mourners in Kiambu County to condole with Margaret Njeri Gichini, following the passing of her husband , Richard Gichini Njoroge.
Former Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i has sharply criticized rising insecurity and political intolerance in Kenya, warning that such developments are damaging the country’s democratic image and investor confidence. He said it was unacceptable that violent incidents were being witnessed even in highly protected public spaces in the capital city.
“How can people beat up thugs—criminals beat up people even into All Saints' Cathedral in the capital city of our country? How can that happen? I don't understand whether our leaders have a sense of shame. It is very humiliating for our country to see those kinds of things we are seeing.”
Matiang’i stressed that political disagreements are a normal part of democracy and will continue even beyond the 2027 General Election, but insisted that they must be managed responsibly. He warned against allowing political competition to degenerate into violence or lawlessness that undermines national unity.
“We can have political differences—they will not end even after the elections next year. We are a democracy. We will always argue. We will always have differences of opinion. But we should manage ourselves responsibly. That is not the way to manage our country.”
He further argued that continued insecurity and public disorder are harming Kenya’s economic prospects, particularly by scaring away investors and discouraging job creation. According to him, stability is a key requirement for economic growth and national development.
“Now we are scaring investors. We are scaring people who like to put resources in our country. How on earth are we going to generate employment if we don't manage these things? So, what Kenya needs is decisive courage to clean up this mess so that our country goes back to what it's supposed to be.”
The former CS also questioned the effectiveness of the country’s security apparatus, suggesting that existing intelligence and policing structures are aware of rising insecurity but are not acting decisively. He claimed the system has enough capacity to handle the situation if properly utilized.
“You cannot tell me that the elaborate security infrastructure we have in the country does not know what is going on. Somebody's looking the other way, and that nonsense is going on around. We have sufficient capacity to deal with this. The fact that it's not being dealt with is deliberate.”
Matiang’i further cited incidents of violence against elected leaders, saying such attacks reflect a worrying breakdown in law enforcement, even in county headquarters where security is expected to be strong. He questioned the responsiveness of senior police commanders to such cases.
“An elected leader like an MCA is attacked by thugs in broad daylight. Seven days later when I went to see him in hospital, the county police commander had not been there. Seven days later, and all that is happening at the county headquarters!”
He warned that unchecked insecurity and intimidation could push the country toward dangerous instability, arguing that nations often begin to decline when early warning signs are ignored. He urged leaders to take responsibility before the situation worsens.
“The countries that have gone down the dogs have started like this. And maybe, maybe it could be this—by doing this by design. It is by design to cause fear. It is by design to intimidate Kenyans and to begin to instill fear so that people don't express themselves.”
Matiang’i concluded by urging urgent reforms in policing and governance, insisting that Kenya has enough security structures such as chiefs, assistant chiefs, and coordinated committees, but lacks decisive leadership in implementation. He said restoring order requires firm and immediate action from authorities.
“We have a very elaborate security infrastructure in the country—from Nyumba Kumi, assistant chiefs, chiefs, all the way to sub-county security committees, county security committees, regional security committees. We have sufficient capacity to deal with this. The fact that it's not being dealt with is deliberate.”
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FELIX MAKONA
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