Former Interior CS Fred Matiang'i stopped for a meal with locals at Ruiru [MATIANG'I PRESS/COURTESY]Former Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i has quietly returned to the country after weeks in the United States of America (USA), making his first public appearance in Ruiru, where he stopped over for a meal with locals.
In a video that surfaced online, Matiang’i was seen stepping out of a grey Prado car, flanked by security aides, before making his way into a popular eatery in the town.
He began by greeting vendors roasting 'nyama choma' outside the hotel premises, while sharing light banter with them.
He then proceeded inside, where he extended warm handshakes to diners, sparking excitement among patrons who quickly recognised him.
At the hotel, Matiang’i was joined by Githunguri MP Gathoni Wamuchomba.
The two leaders appeared to be chatting and laughing with the crowd as they settled down to enjoy plates of roasted meat.
After sharing a meal with locals at the Choma Zone in Ruiru, the former CS briefly addressed the gathering, thanking residents for the warm welcome.
“Thank you very much! I have come together with my friends. I heard there was a place here where people can enjoy some good meat. Wamuchomba and I decided to pass through and have lunch here. We have enjoyed ourselves, so thank you,” he said.
Matiang’i’s return comes after weeks in the United States, where he was occasionally spotted at diaspora events alongside former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua.
The two were seen at various gatherings engaging Kenyan communities abroad, with insiders hinting at efforts to consolidate political goodwill ahead of the next electoral cycle.
Matiang’i is one of the individuals who have expressed interest in vying for the presidency in 2027.
His announcement came after about three years of living a quiet life, even as he worked for the World Bank post his tenure in the Uhuru Kenyatta-led regime.
Notably, his low-key return comes just days after Gachagua announced that he was cutting short his extended U.S. trip and would be back in Kenya ahead of the anticipated by-elections.
DCP deputy party leader Cleophas Malala confirmed the former DP would return on August 21, 2025,
Malala said Gachagua’s plane is expected to land at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport at exactly noon.
