This man Fred Okeng'o Matiang'i

Few figures have left as indelible a mark on the ever-evolving landscape of Kenyan public service as Dr. Fred Okeng’o Matiang’i.

A seasoned academician, governance expert, and former Cabinet Secretary, Matiang’i has served in some of the country's most critical government positions.

Today, he is among the most preferred candidates for Kenya’s 2027 presidential election, a testament to his reputation as a no-nonsense reformer and loyal public servant.

The former CS has teamed up with the big guns in the opposition, including former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua and Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka, in plans to unseat President William Ruto in 2027.

On April 29, Matiang’i held a meeting with Gachagua, Kalonzo and People’s Liberation Party boss Martha Karua as part of their initial strategy meeting to lay the ground for the next general election.

This was Matiang'i's first-ever public meeting with Gachagua's camp, ending speculations about his political allegiance ahead of 2027.

Since his return from the United States on April 18, Matiang’i has held closed-door meetings with key regional and national leaders, with a meet-the-people tour planned for Kisii on May 2.

But who is Fred Matiang’i?

Upon his completion of O-level education at Kiabonyoru Mixed Secondary School in 1984, Matiang’i joined Kisii School for his A-levels.

As the last group of the 7-4-2-3 education system, Matiang’i would qualify for Kenyatta University for a Bachelor of Education degree. He was later employed as a secondary school teacher in Nyamira.

Upon his completion of a Master’s Degree in English from the University of Nairobi, Matiang’i joined Egerton University as a lecturer. He also taught at the University of Nairobi.

Matiang’i holds a PhD in communication and comparative literature from the University of Nairobi.

Before his foray into government, he had built a solid academic and professional career. With a Ph.D. in communication and comparative literature from the University of Nairobi, he taught at Egerton University and the University of Nairobi.

He also served as Eastern Africa regional representative for the Centre for International Development, Rockefeller College of Public Affairs and Policy, State University of New York, where he was also the Kenya Parliamentary Support Programme director.

Matiang’i first made his entry into the Cabinet on April 23, 2013, when he was appointed Cabinet Secretary for Information, Communication and Technology.

Then President Uhuru Kenyatta was keen on accelerating the digital transformation kick-started by his predecessor, Mwai Kibaki.

Uhuru and Matiang’i are said to have first met and developed some rapport when Uhuru was then the leader of the Opposition.

Matiang’i was by then in charge of the Kenya Parliamentary Support Programme (KPSP), which was financing the parliamentary broadcasting service and digitising the proceedings.

Their friendship blossomed when Uhuru Kenyatta was the Deputy Prime Minister in the coalition Government.

Unlike most cabinet appointees, the former literature lecturer at the University of Nairobi and Egerton University had not held prior roles in elective politics or the public service when picked as CS in 2013. This quickly worked to his advantage.

He had no prior baggage, constituents to please or political ambitions to protect, allowing him to give his undivided attention to the task at hand.

He was to oversee Kenya’s switch from analogue to digital broadcasting and help newly elected President Uhuru to start fulfilling his election pledges and the newly acquired political mandate.

In his now signature fashion, Matiang’i was able to successfully deliver on key components of this critical process despite the difficult circumstances.

This made him a key contributor to the digital dividends, with those now reaping the most having been the biggest digital migration detractors.

While his government career is defined by quick, bold action and policy shakeups, Matiang’i is a man admired and envied in equal measure, depending on which side of the political spectrum one holds.

For some, Matiang’i is a trusted advisor and industrious lieutenant who not only streamlined service delivery in government but also spearheaded transformative reforms.

The radical gains were in key sectors such as ICT, Lands, Education, Regional Administration, Immigration Services, Internal Security, and lately, coordination of the government’s development agenda.

To others, Matiang’i is a feared operator who has dismantled cartels and brought to bear the full might of the government on the fight against inefficiency, ineffectiveness, service lethargy, crime and corruption.

For all the diverging views on Dr. Matiang’i, the common link is that he is unanimously viewed as the single most defining figure in former President Uhuru Kenyatta’s 10-year administration.

Matiang’i’s accomplishments at the ICT Ministry quickly caught the eye of the President, who roped him in as acting CS for Lands in 2015 after the exit of Charity Ngilu.

This was one of the earliest signs that the overarching CS was quickly transitioning into the President’s “Dr. Fix it” mode, a somewhat first among equals in the cabinet.

CS Matiang’i’s tenure at the Lands and Physical Planning Ministry was as brief as it was equally eventful.

He immediately decimated notorious cartels that had entrenched themselves at Ardhi House and set in motion a slew of reforms.

He also ended the power tiffs often pitting the Lands Ministry against the National Land Commission, ending in stabilising the Lands ship that impacts so much of personal and corporate business activities.

In December 2015, Matiang’i was appointed Cabinet Secretary for Education, Science and Technology, just as the education sector grappled with rampant exam leakages.

Within months, he restructured the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC), revamped security around exam materials, and imposed stringent timelines that saw national exam results released within a month—a radical improvement.

However, Matiang’i’s swift reforms did not come without friction. His hardline approach led to strained relations with teachers’ unions such as KNUT and KUPPET.

This was especially following the poor performance of students in the 2016 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) results—a result many attributed to the strict anti-cheating policies he championed.

After the death of Interior Cabinet Secretary Joseph Ole Nkaissery in July 2017, President Uhuru Kenyatta tapped Matiang’i to act as Interior CS, while still retaining his education docket.

In January 2018, he was confirmed as the full Interior Cabinet Secretary, reinforcing his image as the president’s go-to problem-solver.

In January 2019, Kenyatta elevated him further, naming him Chairperson of the National Development Implementation and Communication Cabinet Committee through Executive Order No. 1.

The appointment made Matiang’i a de facto “Super Minister,” coordinating all government departments and overseeing national development programs.

His elevation did not sit well with President William Ruto (then deputy president) amid claims that he had assumed most of his roles, including the commissioning and launching of development projects.

A widely held view was that Kenyatta had elevated Matiang’i to the position of a prime minister, and that the arrangement supplanted Ruto, much of whose roles Matiang’i took over.

Because this is new territory for the country, it is difficult to be definitive about this assessment, and only time will tell whether it is correct.

A strong personality, Matiang’i cultivated a high profile since he came to office as a cabinet secretary, receiving public acclaim and public admiration.

His tenure at the Interior Ministry saw him navigate sensitive and sometimes controversial matters.

Notably, in January 2018, following the symbolic “swearing-in” of opposition leader Raila Odinga as the “People’s President,” the Ministry oversaw the shutdown of major media houses, drawing sharp criticism locally and abroad.

Matiang’i defended the action, citing national security and the potential for mass unrest.

Matiang’i’s interactions with the opposition have often been contentious.

During the 2017 election protests, his ministry clamped down on opposition demonstrations, and later, in 2018, he gazetted the National Resistance Movement—an arm of the opposition—as a criminal organisation.

The move led to high-profile arrests and public scrutiny.

Despite his detractors, Matiang’i is praised for his efficiency, policy rigour, and unflinching stance on governance.

His ability to implement reforms across multiple ministries—from ICT to Education, Lands, and Interior— earned him a reputation as a “fixer” and an effective administrator.

Married with two children, Matiang’i maintains a relatively low personal profile. He is fluent in Swahili and English, with working knowledge of French.

He has previously worked with organisations such as USAID, World Bank, and Transparency International, and has penned columns for the Daily Nation.

Matiang’i aggressively campaigned for former Prime Minister Raila Odinga ahead of the 2022 General Election.

Upon Raila’s defeat by President Ruto, Matiang’i moved to the US, where he has been working for the World Bank.

He jetted back into the country on April 18 for a series of engagements, but he is yet to publicly declare his 2027 presidential ambitions amid growing speculations.

As 2027 approaches, political analysts see Matiang’i as a formidable contender given his track record.