Former Interior CS Fred Matiangi received at the JKIA with policitians and close assocaites/SCREENGRAB
Former Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiangi has returned to the country from the US, where he has been residing since the aftermath of the 2022 general election.
Matiang'i landed at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport on Thursday night aboard a Qatar Airways flight.
Upon arrival, he was received by a delegation of political allies, including Jubilee Party Secretary General Jeremiah Kioni, Kisii Senator Richard Onyonka and nominated Senator Gloria Orwoba.
He did not, however, speak to the press but reportedly expressed gratitude for a safe journey.
This, while stating off-the-record that he would address the nation at a later date.
Kioni and Onyonka are among the key figures who have openly endorsed Matiang’i for the presidency.
His arrival now reignites speculation about a potential presidential run in the 2027 poll.
His extended stay abroad had fueled speculation about his political future, particularly amid growing calls for him to vie for the presidency in the upcoming elections.
Matiangi, a former powerful figure in the retired president Uhuru Kenyatta's tenure, has kept a low profile abroad since the conclusion of the election which saw President William Ruto elected.
His return follows months of growing political chatter about his ambitions.
Former Interior CS Fred Matiang'i with Jubilee's SG Jeremiah Kioni and nominated Senator Gloria Orwoba at the JKIA/SCRENGRABAlthough he has yet to confirm his intentions, his comeback coincides with increasing support from the Jubilee Party, which has publicly declared its readiness to back him in 2027.
"It's all systems go," Jubilee posted on its official pages.
Kioni, in particular, has repeatedly urged Matiangi to lead the party into the next electoral contest.
He also cautioned against attempts to derail Matiangi's political ambitions, asserting that any efforts to block his path will ultimately fail.
Speaking at the party’s delegates meeting in Keumbu, Kisii County on April 6, Kioni confirmed that Matiang’i has been given the green light to fly the party’s flag in the 2027 presidential race.
“I have heard people coming here preaching unity, but they are the ones spreading disunity because they’ve been sent here to divide the community. They may claim Matiang’i is facing charges, but whatever number they give him, that’s their problem. Even if they put him in jail, we will still choose him,” Kioni said.
Nyamira Senator Okong’o Omogeni voiced similar sentiments, expressing his support for Matiang’i’s presidential bid.
