Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki has been keeping in touch with his predecessor Fred Matiang’i since he assumed office on November 1, it has emerged.
Speaking to Citizen TV on Friday, Kindiki said he has spoken to Matiang’i on several occasions after he took over the leadership of the powerful docket.
“We have spoken severally on various matters and my predecessor has certain ideas he had initiated and would want them to see the light of day. He has shared with me some of those ideas,” Kindiki revealed.
He further said Matiang’i has called him twice and given him his suggestions on handling certain national issues.
“We wish him well in his new chapter of life,” the Cabinet Secretary added.
In the run-up to the elections, President William Ruto –then Deputy President- and his Kenya Kwanza allies clashed publicly with Matiang’i on multiple occasions on various issues including the involvement of the Cabinet Secretaries in 2022 succession politics.
Matiangi publicly pronounced that he would back the Azimio La Umoja Presidential candidate Raila Odinga.
Raila was retired President Uhuru Kenyatta’s preferred successor.
After Ruto was declared winner of the August 9 elections, Matiang’i took a low profile and did not appear in public for some time.
Differences between Ruto and Matiang’i escalated when the Interior CS was promoted to chair the National Development Implementation and Communication Cabinet Committee by Uhuru.
Executive Order Number 1 of January 22, 2019, granted Matiangi sweeping powers to oversee all the national government programs with the committee comprising all the Cabinet Secretaries, The Attorney-General, and the Head of the Public Service being the members of the secretariat.
With the order, Matiang’i was only answerable to Uhuru, making him the second most powerful after the Head of State.
