Former Interior Cabinet Secretary Dr. Fred Matiang’i has returned to Kenya after several weeks in the United States, where he was occasionally spotted at diaspora events alongside former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua.
Matiang’i made his first public appearance on Friday in Ruiru, Kiambu County, where he stopped over for lunch with locals at the popular Choma Zone eatery.
In a video that circulated online, the former CS was seen alighting from a grey Prado, flanked by his security aides. He immediately drew the attention of residents as he greeted vendors roasting nyama choma outside the premises, engaging them in light-hearted banter before heading inside.
Inside the hotel, Matiang’i exchanged warm handshakes with diners, many of whom appeared excited to see him. He was later joined by Githunguri MP Gathoni Wamuchomba, with whom he shared a hearty meal of roasted meat. The two leaders also mingled freely with the crowd, occasionally laughing and chatting as they enjoyed their lunch.
After the meal, Matiang’i briefly addressed the gathering, expressing gratitude to the residents of Ruiru for their warm reception.
“Thank you very much! I have come together with my friends. I heard there was a place here where people can enjoy some good meat. Wamuchomba and I decided to pass through and have lunch here. We have enjoyed ourselves, so thank you,” he told the crowd.
Matiang’i’s return has sparked speculation in political circles, particularly as he is among the leaders who have expressed interest in running for the presidency in 2027. His re-emergence comes after nearly three years of living a relatively quiet life while working with the World Bank following his tenure in the Uhuru Kenyatta administration.
His low-key return also coincides with news that former DP Rigathi Gachagua, with whom Matiang’i was recently seen at U.S. diaspora events, is set to end his extended American stay. According to UDA Secretary-General Cleophas Malala, Gachagua is scheduled to land at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport on August 21 at noon.
The near-simultaneous return of the two leaders has fueled talk of possible political realignments as the 2027 electoral cycle begins to take shape.
