Former Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i has called on the government to take swift and decisive action regarding the unresolved River Yala killings. Speaking on a local radio station on Wednesday, October 29, 2025, Matiang’i emphasized the need for transparent and impartial investigations to bring justice to victims’ families.
“Security situations happen everywhere in the world, even in countries like the United States or the UK. What matters is where the line is drawn and that is where investigations must be done properly,” Matiang’i said.
The former CS stressed that the state has a duty to ensure that all cases of murder and disappearance are pursued to their logical conclusion. He warned that delays and negligence in handling such sensitive cases could erode public confidence in Kenya’s security agencies and justice system.
Reflecting on his tenure at the Ministry of Interior, Matiang’i said he consistently advocated for accountability in all criminal investigations, including cases of extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances. “Every time we got directions from investigations, we went there, regardless of who was involved. That is how accountability works,” he noted.
Matiang’i also cited past cases involving returnees from Al-Shabaab training camps and instances where Parliament provided crucial leads that helped in investigations. He maintained that no individual, regardless of rank or position, should be immune from scrutiny. “If investigations point to a minister or even someone at the top, for heaven’s sake, let us go there and face the law,” he insisted.
He urged the current administration to follow through with ongoing investigations and deliver justice. “It is the duty of the government to follow the direction of investigations to the end. Justice delayed is justice denied,” he added.
The River Yala killings, which caused national outrage between 2021 and 2022, involved the discovery of several bodies in the river, raising serious concerns over extrajudicial killings and human rights violations.
