Former Interior Cabinet Secretary Dr. Fred Matiang’i has urged Kenyan youth to take charge of the country’s future by registering as voters ahead of the 2027 General Elections. Addressing hundreds of enthusiastic supporters who welcomed him at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) on Thursday night, Matiang’i made a passionate appeal to Gen Z, stressing that meaningful change can only be achieved through active electoral participation.
“Let’s organise ourselves, and please, Gen Z, we can do as much as we want, but if we are not registering and preparing to vote, we have not succeeded,” Matiang’i said. “The drive is to register and prepare ourselves to participate effectively and in a quality manner in the forthcoming electoral process.”
Matiang’i emphasized the need for youth to transition from online activism to real-world engagement by ensuring they are ready to cast their votes. His message comes amid a growing wave of youth-led civic movements demanding government accountability and reforms.
The former CS also called for national unity, regardless of political affiliation, urging Kenyans to find common ground and respect diverse political views. “We are all one family in our country; however you think or play your politics, our country must always be one country, one family,” he said.
Matiang’i returned from the United States after formally resigning from the World Bank, where he served since September 2022. Sources close to the former CS confirmed his resignation and hinted at his increasing focus on local politics.
His homecoming coincides with an aggressive rebranding campaign by the Jubilee Party, signaling his intention to contest the presidency in 2027. Having recently aligned with Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua’s opposition bloc, Matiang’i has quickly emerged as a key player in Kenya’s shifting political landscape.
As momentum builds toward 2027, Matiang’i’s return and message to the youth highlight a pivotal moment in Kenya’s democratic journey one where the next generation holds the power to redefine the nation’s political destiny through the ballot.
