Former Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i has accused President William Ruto and his administration of relying on violence as a political strategy. He alleged that the president knew plans were underway to mobilize goons ahead of a political rally in Homa Bay.
Matiang’i said the violence reported in several parts of the country over the weekend followed a coordinated pattern that, in his view, could not have taken place without the knowledge of those leading the country’s security apparatus.
“It is now abundantly clear that the president and his government have chosen violence as a weapon for political survival and engagement,” Matiang’i said.
He pointed to a string of incidents, including the stoning of two vehicles belonging to his team in Mulot, the stoning of opposition leaders in Nakuru, and reports of disturbances in Salgaa before the clashes that erupted in Homa Bay on Sunday.
According to Matiang’i, the scale of the violence raises serious questions about whether security agencies and the president were aware of what was unfolding.
“From my experience, I want to tell Kenyans very sincerely. I do not think, and I cannot see how the scale of violence in Homa Bay and the activity that happened there could have happened without the knowledge of the National Security Council, and without the knowledge especially of the … the President receives executive intelligence briefing wherever he is,” the former Cabinet Secretary for Interior said.
Matiang’i warned that Kenya could be heading into a dangerous period, saying the country has begun what he described as “final descent towards anarchy” if political violence continues unchecked. He said he would start consultations with other opposition leaders on how to respond to what he described as an increasingly hostile political environment. He added that political differences should not become a justification for harm.
“Political difference is not a good enough excuse to inflict the kind of loss and pain we have witnessed this weekend,” he said.
Matiang’i also accused the government of what he called “digital terrorism,” alleging that social media accounts linked to opposition figures have been targeted. He further claimed that opposition leaders encountered vehicles fitted with signal jammers during rallies, arguing that such equipment would only be deployed by actors with significant resources.
“I believe this is the work of the state because who else has the capacity to do that?” he posed.
The former Interior CS said the government has also pushed young people toward crime by allegedly using them as instruments of political violence and providing what he described as a steady source of income through criminal activities.
Matiang’i extended condolences to the families who lost loved ones during the weekend incidents, and he called for an end to political violence.
