Matiang'i Resurfaces After 7 Months Away From Public Eye

Former Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i resurfaced on Wednesday, October 11 before the National Assembly's Public Investment Committee, the first time he made a public appearance since March.

He was summoned by the Committee last week to answer accusations that he issued orders to shut down the Kenyatta University Campus in Kigali, Rwanda. 

Matiang’i had earlier explained that he could not appear in person as he was currently in Washington DC, in the United States.

It was however not clear if he went to the US on a visit or if he was permanently residing there.

He was allowed to appear virtually before the committee to make his submissions on what led to the decision to close the KU campus in Kigali in 2018 without consulting other stakeholders, costing taxpayers Ksh600 million.

Matiang'i however exonerated himself from the accusations, explaining that President Paul Kagame's administration had made it difficult for KU to operate in Rwanda.

“It was a government decision and not a personal decision. The campus was not closed on a motion of the government or the university management. They were closed by authority and regulators in Rwanda,” Matiang'i told the Committee.

“They (host governments) even amended the law to make it difficult for our campuses to operate."

Also closed during the same period was the varsity’s campus in Tanzania.

Matiang'i further told the Committee that chaired by Bumula MP John Wamboka that there is evidence the government even tried to intervene and engage the authorities in Rwanda but it became difficult.

He had been invited by MPs by virtue of having held the Ministry of Education docket before he was transferred.

Kenyatta University had said the decision to close the Kigali Campus followed a directive from the Ministry of Education, even though the government had spent close to Ksh420.7 million.

An audit query flagged in the Auditor General’s report for the financial year 2019-20 raised concern regarding a possible loss of millions of taxpayers' money in the investment as there were no returns for the country.

Of the Ksh420.7 million spent, the government spent Ksh314,894,910 for the purchase of land and building costs, renovation and partitioning taking up Ksh54,073,302.

Ksh11,489,009 was spent on operating expenses while personal emoluments took up Ksh728,185.