Inside Matiang'i's Meeting With CS Machogu Before DPP Dropped Charges

Former Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang'i and Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu met on Sunday evening, March 12 at a hotel in Nairobi.

The Gusii leaders meeting was chaired by Machogu, with reports indicating that the meeting was aimed at uniting all the Gusii leaders, no matter where they stand politically.

Solicitor General Nominee Shadrack Mose, former Deputy Majority leader Jimmy Angwenyi and wealth businessman John Simba were among those who attended the meeting.

Former Interior Cabinet Secretary Dr Fred Matiangi (centre-right) and Education CS Ezekiel Machogu (centre-left) attending a meeting with Gusii leaders on March 12, 2023. /TWITTER.FLORA LIMUKII

The meeting held at the Centre for Mathematics, Science and Technology Education in Africa (CEMASTEA) in Karen also saw 11 elders and Seventh Day Adventist (SDA) pastors attend. CEMASTEA is a state agency that is domiciled at the Ministry of Education, Science, and Technology (MOEST).

Machogu was reported to have convened the meeting to quell the simmering political tension in the Kisii region following Matiang'i's summoning.

During the meeting, Matiang'i is said to have set the record straight regarding his woes with the current administration, further noting that his focus was now to work on his private activities saying that is why he has never attended political rallies or even a church function.

CS Machogu had initially vowed to consolidate all Gusii leaders to have the community realize its development agenda.

"I will meet and have discussions with all our leaders. We are working as a team to achieve our development goals. Nobody will be left out. Those interested in politicking will have themselves to blame.

"No region will be left out, our two counties will have a share of the national cake," he noted. 

The meeting comes barely two days after an alleged State House meeting hosted by President William Ruto and attended by MPs; Anthony Kibagendi (Kitutu Chache South), Patrick Osero (Borabu) and Dr Daniel Manduku (Nyaribari Masaba) all elected on ODM party ticket.

The leaders are meeting ahead of President Ruto's scheduled tour of the Gusii region and homecoming ceremony for CS Machogu later in this month.

This will be the first meeting the former CS is attending with other Gusii leaders since he left office. Some of the leaders attending have not met with the former CS eye to eye since last year August when the Country went to the polls.

Over the weekend, Kisii Senator Richard Onyonka and his Nyamira counterpart Okongo Omogeni called on the State to respect Matiangi and any other top Government official who served in the last regime.

"It is not fair to parade outgoing government officials before cameras in the name of carrying out investigations. Let us have some respect for those who have such offices."

The Sunday meeting was Matiang'i's first public appearance since he recorded his statement at the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) headquarters along Kiambu Road on Thursday, March 9, over claims that police had raided his Karen home.

Matiang'i has since had charges of conspiracy to commit a felony and publication of false information regarding the alleged raid at his Karen residence on Wednesday, February 8 dropped by the Office of the Director of Public Prosecution (ODPP).