Police Raid Former CS Fred Matiang'i's Home

Police have surrounded the home of former Interior Cabinet Secretary (CS) Fred Matiang'i in Karen.

His lawyer, Dunstan Omari alleged that the purpose of the raid was for the elite officers seeking to arrest the former CS.

"They want to arrest our client but no offence was disclosed. I can confirm to every Kenyan in this country that the life of Matiang’i is at risk. We don’t know the intention of wanting to invade Matiang’i’s home at this time of the night. We don’t know why they want to arrest him & where they want to take him to," stated the lawyer

"Our client is ready to be summoned to go and appear before any police station and record a statement if they have anything to charge him with."

Omari further questioned the nature of the raid, believing that Matiang'i was being treated like a wanted criminal in his own country.

Raila Odinga at Matiang'i's Karen home on February 8, 2023. /CITIZEN TV

"My client is holed up as if he is a former fugitive in his own country. This is a former Minister in charge of security and the police. Civility must be retained.

"We can't have a rogue Government that comes at midnight to arrest the former CS," he added, further challenging the government to take him in for questioning.

Azimio party leader, Raila Odinga also visited Matiang'i's home and condemned the incident, terming it a misuse of power by President William Ruto.

"I have just received information that the police had surrounded the home of the former Interior Minister Matiang'i and I was shocked to hear that this is happening at this hour.

"They say that the more things change, the more they stay the same. We are witnessing what this country has been through before. The times of late-night arrests and detentions of people without any formal charges. This is what appears to be coming back to our country," the former Prime Minister told the press while at Matiang'i's home.

"If Matiang'i has committed a crime that warrants his arrest that should be made public and known to him. This idea of arresting senior citizens at this hour of the night is unacceptable," Odinga stated.

He further promised to stand with the former Interior CS and anyone else to ensure that the law is honoured.

"We are here, and will stand with Mr Matiang’i and anybody else to ensure that the law of this country is respected."

The motive behind the attempts to arrest Matiang'i, according to the former Prime Minister was not yet established as neither the police nor his legal team had concrete information on the same.

The night raid came weeks after some of the dignitaries who had served under former President Uhuru Kenyatta's administration had openly criticised the President William Ruto-led administration, in front of mourners who paid a visit to former Education CS, the late Prof George Magoha's home.

Matiang'i had pledged allegiance to Uhuru as his President as he went on to troll Ruto and noted that some of Uhuru's colleagues were surprised by the recent developments across the country.

He went on to accuse the current administration of exercising tribalism, warning Kenyans that the country was headed in the wrong direction that accommodates individualism instead of positive nationalism 

"When I see some things in this country, I know for sure that Kenya is better than such discussions," Matiang'i noted. 

It was arguably after this address that a raft of security changes was initiated at once with the government reorganising the security detail of Uhuru, Matiang'i and former Interior Principal Secretary (PS), Karanja Kibicho.

Inspector General of Police Japhet Koome on Friday, February 3 then explained that the security changes were done in good faith and part of a restructuring process at the National Police Service (NPS).

This is despite two things: it was done in the middle of a political atmosphere and it happened after President Ruto and DP Gachagua promised not to use security officers as well as the criminal justice system as instruments for settling political scores.