Why Matiang’i is favourite punching bag for Ruto allies
Wanjiku Thiga
Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i is once again on the spot for allegedly abusing the powers of his office to bully President Uhuru Kenyatta’s opponents.
The lead accuser this time is Deputy President William Ruto and his allies. The DP anger was triggered by Matiang’i alleged role in his botched trip to Uganda and the extradition of his controversial business acquaintance, the Turkish national. To them, power has gone into the CS’s head.
The power Matiang’i is accused of abusing comes with the territory. The Interior docket is the first among equals in the ministries’ pecking order.
The Police, Prisons, Immigration, the National and Civil registration bureaus, the National Government Administration officers and the National Transport and Safety Authority are among the over 30 agencies and departments under the ministry.
He also sits in critical decision-making organs such as the National Security Council. Here, priorities of the country’s security environment and sensitive decisions are made.
The onus of the ministry also necessitates of its occupant frequent interaction with the President. Proximity to power, like access to classified information, is an enhancer of clout.
Matiang’i is, therefore, “guilty” of cementing the Interior ministry role as the nerve centre of government operations.
That he is a forceful character who raises the profile of whichever office he holds adds to his “crimes”. Besides the President, the CS has become the face of the government.
That is why labelling him “lazy and incompetent” as the DP and his allies insinuate is harsh.
On the contrary, the CS appears to be a victim of his own zeal. He has become a hate figure because of the single-mindedness that he brings to his portfolio.
He has deftly exploited the visibility accorded by the ministry and his role as the chair of the National Development Implementation and Communication Cabinet Committee (NDICCC) to grow his stature.
For the DP and his lieutenants reluctant to directly confront the President, the CS has become a punching bag for venting out their frustrations.
Under the Executive Order No. 1 of January 21, 2019, President Kenyatta created the NDICCC at the apex of the coordination of government development and designated Matiang’i as its chair.
The CS has repaid the faith of his boss by shepherding visible reforms in public service.
Critics ignore this legitimate mandate and instead cite it as evidence of Matiang’i’s overbearance
The DP himself has previously rushed to Matiang’i defence when the CS was assailed by the Opposition.
Then, Raila Odinga and his allies accused the CS of abusing his office especially the heavy police deployment in by-elections held in ODM strongholds.
Ruto reminded critics that condemning Matiang’i was akin to shooting the messenger; that he was merely exercising legitimate powers and duties.
Matiang’i has been largely effective. Players in the roads sector, for example, can attest to this.
There has been a fundamental shift in contractors’ approach to public-funded projects with the creation of NDICCC.
Details such as the cost, quality of workmanship, timelines and utility value of public investments are no longer mere entries in a contract but serious appraisal reference points.
Crooked contractors now dread project inspection visits and for good reasons: some have been arrested and prosecuted.
The CS has also been a key figure driving mega projects in Uhuru’s administration. Matiang’i has taken charge of the rehabilitation of the Thika-Nanyuki and the Nakuru-Kisumu Metre Gauge railway, the revival of the Kisumu port and enhancement of Mombasa port’s efficiency and profitability.
Betting firms have also tasted Matiang’i can-do attitude with a sustained crackdown. The CS’s hand has also been visible in the revival of the Kenya Meat Commission under the Kenya Defence Forces.
His influence has been felt in the roundtables he has chaired with the private sector and county governments. In June, for instance, he chaired the NDICCC-Council of Governors forum where counties agreed to implement the single, county-of-origin levying of goods. —The author consults in governance and communication fields —[email protected]
