Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has launched a scorching offensive against former Interior CS Fred Matiang’i, branding him the “face of impunity” and dismissing his newfound role as a champion of good governance.

Speaking at a public function over the weekend, Duale did not mince words. He characterized Matiang’i’s recent attacks on President William Ruto’s administration as the height of hypocrisy, arguing that the man who once commanded the country’s security apparatus with an iron fist lacks the moral standing to lecture the current government on the rule of law.

The Ghost of the Past

“He should be the last person to critique Ruto,” Duale declared, his voice cutting through the political hum. “We know him. He is chest-thumping all over, trying to reinvent himself as a reformist. But Kenyans have not forgotten.”

Duale’s counter-attack was surgical. He bypassed generalities to target the darkest stain on Matiang’i’s tenure: the allegations of extrajudicial killings and the mysterious bodies retrieved from River Yala. By invoking these grim memories, Duale aimed to shatter the credibility of Matiang’i’s current “United Opposition” platform.

• The Accusation: Duale alleges Matiang’i presided over a regime of “heavy-handed policing” and silence on disappearances.
• The Context: Matiang’i has recently re-emerged from a two-year hiatus, hosting delegations in Nyamira and eyeing a 2027 presidential run.
• The Trigger: The former CS recently termed the Ruto administration “barbaric, draconian, and highly incompetent.”

2027: The Early Skirmishes

This war of words is not merely about settling old scores; it is a battle for the narrative ahead of the 2027 General Election. Matiang’i, now the Jubilee Deputy Party Leader, is positioning himself as the sane alternative to the Kenya Kwanza government. In meetings at his Nyamira stronghold, he has promised to reinstate popular programs like Linda Mama and free secondary education, which he claims the current regime has strangled.

“We are struggling against an administration determined to hang on to power like colonialists,” Matiang’i told supporters last week. It is this specific comparison—equating Ruto’s style to colonial rule—that appears to have provoked Duale’s fierce rebuttal.

The Kenyan Reality

For the ordinary mwananchi in Nairobi or Kisii, this high-level mudslinging offers little relief from the biting cost of living. While Duale defends the President’s development record—citing road projects and economic stabilization—and Matiang’i laments the “looting” of state resources, the price of unga and fuel remains the only statistic that truly matters at the dinner table.

Analysts suggest that Duale’s aggressive stance is a calculated move to neutralize a potential Nyanza-based threat before it gains momentum. By pinning the “impunity” label on Matiang’i now, the government hopes to define him before he can fully define himself.

“What is he telling Kenyans?” Duale posed, leaving the question hanging. “Leadership must be anchored on integrity. You cannot preach water while drinking wine.”