Former Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i has stated that the Gen Z protest of 2024, which resulted in the invasion of both houses of parliament, would not have happened under his leadership.
Speaking during a TV interview on Tuesday, July 1, 2025, Matiang’i indicated that the country’s intelligence structure should have detected the plans long before the incident occurred.
“It would never have gotten there. That could not have happened under my watch because how could it have happened that we have a rampage in town by Gen Zs, parliament is overrun, and symbols of parliamentary power are carted away, yet this has never happened since our independence in 1963?” Matiang’i posed.
Instruments of government
“We did not know that that was coming? Let us assume that we did not know that was coming. This is not a surprise incident; we ought to have known, and I know the instruments of government, having worked in government before.”
“I know the capacity of the National Intelligence Service (NIS). I don’t know where the chain could have broken, but I am sure that the government must have known what was going to happen,” Matiang’i said.
He also observed that leaders should have conducted an immediate inquiry into the circumstances under which the invasion occurred to determine what transpired on that day.
Inquiry into the incident
“I expected that the government would have orchestrated an all-parties inquiry in parliament to answer the question of what happened,” Matiang’i said.
“This could have provided the Gen Zs, faith-based organisations, civil society and other people to express themselves. When conversations happen, you are likely to carry the country and the people in the direction you are going.”
“Those whose responsibility is to convene and make decisions behave as if nothing has happened and everything is business as usual, while on the other hand, the same issues that are being raised every day are not being addressed,” he added.
Matiang’i also challenged President William Ruto on what he said was backtracking on his promise to the Gen Zs after the deadly protests of 2024.
“The president’s second speech was hopeful on how he was going to reduce wastage, reorganise the government and make a raft of changes. He looked like he had solutions. Clearly it has not happened, and we are here where we have another riot,” Matiang’i remarked.
“I don’t know what is going to be done to avert the next one. But I wish that trajectory of addressing issues and meeting and working with Gen Zs could have taken place.”
