Kalonzo: I’ll hold Matiang’i accountable if found guilty of killings and rights abuses
By Mustafa Juma, September 25, 2025Wiper Patriotic Front (WPF) Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka has declared that former Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i will not be shielded from accountability if investigations link him to past human rights abuses and killings.
Speaking on Wednesday, September 24, 2025, during an interview with a local TV station, Kalonzo said no leader should be immune from scrutiny over their role in past injustices.
He stressed that every individual must answer for their “omissions and commissions”.
He, however, defended Matiang’i, who is currently part of the United Opposition, from accusations linking him to extrajudicial killings at the time bodies were found in River Yala.
Also watch: Matiangi charged with conspiracy to commit a felony and publishing false information.
False accusations
According to Kalonzo, none of the accusations have been proved to be true, but should investigations link Matiang’i to the killings, he will publicly call him out.
“I don’t know whether that has been proved, and I don’t believe in hypocrisy. Every person will be held to account on their own omissions and commissions. That is me, and today I have tried to be as transparent as I can be. I thought Fred Matiang’i was asked that question, and he said no.If I find that Dr Fred Matiang’i was responsible for killings and abuse of human rights, I will call him out,” Kalonzo said.
Matiang’i on River Yala killings
Matiang’i has previously defended the government’s actions during his tenure, emphasising that he did his best to abide by the constitution.
While responding to allegations of government excess committed by the security sector during a televised interview on Tuesday, July 1, 2025, the politician stated that the allegations should be based on concrete and hard facts and not mere allegations.
He holds that as a nation professing the rule of law, individuals should not be blanketly condemned with no evidence.
“I have said before, if there are excesses committed during our tenure at Interior, let them be made public and the people who committed the acts be known instead of mere allegations. Kenyans are asking for accountability. Let the investigative agencies do their work. We have IPOA to look where police have gone beyond their mark,” he said.
On the recovery of bodies in the River Yala killings, which happened as he steered the influential Interior cabinet docket, Matiang’i reiterated his initial stance over the matter, stating the mysterious case of extrajudicial killings remains under wraps as the government has now proceeded to act on it.
“When the issues (of River Yala) arose while we were in government, we asked the DCI and police to open the file to allow for investigations. We exited while the investigation was going on to get to the bottom of the matter. It is easy to bandy blame around when it is politically convenient. Why can’t we have this matter open and have investigations? If someone says it is me who did it, I can be held accountable. I have never been above the law at any time. But when you ask me to make a decision and judgment on the matter that facts have not been brought to light on,” he stated.