Matiangi addresses River Yala killings during his tenure as CS
Former Interior CS Fred Matiang’i has 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, the politician stated that the allegations should be based on concrete and hard facts and not mere allegations.
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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.
His remarks echo his past stance over the disturbing incident that saw over 30 bodies recovered, with most of them bearing marks of torture.
Speaking on the issue on Tuesday, July 1, 2025, he advocated for the opening of a public inquest over the matter, after stating that the matter was still pending under investigation when he left office in 2022 and that the police had the file on the progress and findings of the probe.
“By the time we were leaving government, the file was open; it was not closed at that time because investigations were going on. I did not leave with the file; in any case, I would have nothing to do with the file as a cabinet secretary because that was a police matter,” Matiang’i said.
Ready for public inquiry
He equally observed that as a cabinet secretary, he is not responsible for every accident or crime that happens during his time in office.
“Our detractors always choose when it is convenient for them to say these things. The police service is independent when they are doing certain things,” Matiang’i noted.
“The best way to deal with this matter is to have a public inquest so that all of us who were in the security sector at the time can go and face the inquest. I am ready to go before a magistrate or judge who is going to preside over the inquest and say what I know about it.”
