Former Interior Cabinet Secretary Dr. Fred Matiang’i delivered a measured yet pointed address during the burial of Martina Barongo, sister of Nakuru Town West MP Samuel Arama, emphasizing national unity over division.
Matiang’i also condemned tribal language and personal insults in politics.
“You cannot move forward in this nation if your language is tribal and insulting others. We want to lead our people, not insult them,” he said.
He stressed that genuine leadership earns respect without payments, warning that leaders who must “pay people to listen” have lost credibility.
Matiang’i sharply critiqued government priorities, highlighting the broken radiotherapy machine at Kenyatta National Hospital, where cancer patients have waited over three months, some deteriorating while awaiting treatment.
He contrasted this with the school feeding programme shortfall of Sh4.8 billion, putting two million children—mostly from arid and semi-arid lands—at risk of dropping out, while State House receives Sh17 billion.
On the Social Health Authority (SHA), he declared it non-functional: “This SHA thing doesn’t work.”
He appealed to President Ruto to acknowledge challenges honestly and reform or scrap the scheme to help citizens, assuming good initial intentions.
Matiang’i also demanded transparency on medical cover tenders for teachers (Sh17 billion Elimu budget line) and police, questioning who benefited amid service failures.
Positioning himself and allies as ready to govern responsibly, he concluded: “We cannot run our country this way. That is why we are saying we are ready—because we understand government work.”
The speech, delivered amid growing public frustration over healthcare and education crises, has amplified calls for accountability and solutions over rhetoric.
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