Matiang’i Jets Back into Kenya Amid 2027 Presidential Bid Speculations

Former Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i returned to Kenya on Thursday, April 17, night amid growing speculation about his political ambitions ahead of the 2027 General Elections.

Matiang’i landed at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) at around 11:40 p.m. aboard a Qatar Airways flight from Washington, D.C., via Doha.

The former CS, who served under the administration of Kenya’s fourth President Uhuru Kenyatta, was received by a group of leaders, including Kisii Senator Richard Onyonka, Jubilee Party Secretary General Jeremiah Kioni, and nominated Senator Gloria Orwoba.

“Welcome back home, Dr. Fred Okeng’o Matiang’i,” Senator Onyonka wrote on X, sharing photos of the reception at JKIA.

Fred Matiang’i’s return to Kenya has reignited speculation surrounding his rumored presidential ambitions.

However, the former Interior Cabinet Secretary who also previously held the Ministry of Education CS docket has remained tight-lipped on whether he will enter the 2027 race.

Matiang’i jets back to the country amid speculation over his presidential ambitions

His arrival comes at a time when a section of Kisii leaders, including Senator Richard Onyonka, have publicly endorsed his potential candidacy.

Also Read: Kindiki Recognizes Matiang’i’s Work as Interior CS

Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has hinted at a possible alliance with former Interior CS Fred Matiang’i, alongside other prominent leaders, as momentum builds ahead of the 2027 General Election.

Speaking on Tuesday, April 15, Gachagua revealed that discussions are underway to establish a united political front aimed at offering alternative leadership for the country.

“We have listened to Kenyans who have said we come together and form a government that would take the country forward. I’m doing that with Kalonzo Musyoka, Eugene Wamalwa, George Natembeya, and Fred Matiang’i. I want to assure the people of Kenya that we have a formula to give you good leadership,” he said.

Jubilee Party’s endorsement

Meanwhile, the Jubilee Party continues to rally behind Matiang’i, with Secretary General Jeremiah Kioni consistently voicing support for his presidential ambitions. Kioni has repeatedly called on the former CS to carry the party’s flag into the 2027 race.

Also Read: Uhuru’s Jubilee Party Gives Way Forward After Raila-Ruto Deal

In February, Kioni led other party branch leaders in endorsing Matiang’i as Jubilee’s preferred presidential candidate.

He emphasized that while the endorsement positions the former CS as the party’s frontrunner, the broader goal is to eventually unite with like-minded political outfits under a single coalition.

“We’ve settled on Matiang’i as our candidate. Not to mean that he becomes the eventual presidential candidate, but a candidate within the party who would then join others in coming up with one person who, as a coalition, we will back,” Kioni said at Jubilee’s headquarters in Nairobi.

The party’s endorsement followed reports that Matiang’i had engaged a Canadian lobbying firm, Dickens & Madison, to help craft his campaign strategy.

Reportedly signed in July 2024, the consultancy agreement signaled the former CS’s serious intent to vie for the presidency.

The reports indicated that he had already paid a down payment of $65,000 (approximately Ksh8.42 million) at the time of the agreement and would also pay a retainer of $250,000 (approximately Ksh32.39 million).  

In the private document, the firm said it will “provide media and public relations services on behalf of the foreign principal’s (Matiang’i) goals and activities” and also lobby the Executive and/or Legislative branches of the US government to support his presidential ambitions.

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