Former Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i has pushed back hard against the government’s claims linking the opposition to the destruction seen during the June 25 protests, challenging authorities to act on evidence instead of making political threats.
Speaking on Thursday, June 26, 2025, after visiting victims of police brutality at Kenyatta National Hospital alongside Wiper Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka and Senator Richard Onyonka, Matiang’i condemned the violence but accused government officials of using the aftermath to scapegoat the opposition without presenting facts.
In response to accusations that the opposition organised the destruction, he said, “If the opposition planned the destruction, arrest them. Don’t tell us stories. If you have facts and know who funded it, why aren’t you acting? You’re in power; use the instruments of the state. Don’t talk, act.”
He faulted Cabinet Secretaries for politicising law enforcement, arguing that leaders with access to power and evidence should not be making public accusations without following through with legal action.
Earlier, Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen had issued a strongly worded statement accusing organisers of the protests of attempting to stage an unconstitutional power grab.
“What happened on June 25 was not a protest. It was an attempted coup,” Murkomen said during a press briefing. “This was a well-funded, well-orchestrated operation aimed at toppling the government through violence and chaos.”
He stated that police had retrieved surveillance footage showing vehicles transporting large amounts of cash to protesters, and the plan was to incite mass looting and destruction of property, especially targeting assets linked to government supporters.
Law, not rhetoric
According to Matiang’i, such sweeping allegations without legal action only deepen mistrust and polarise the country further.
He said government officials, especially cabinet members, must exercise responsibility and follow constitutional channels rather than fanning public suspicion.
He called out Murkomen’s rhetoric, saying: “A cabinet minister should never make serious allegations they cannot back in court. If you believe someone funded or organised criminal activity, arrest and charge them don’t use press briefings as courtrooms.”
While the Interior Ministry maintains that it will pursue the financiers and masterminds of the destruction, opposition leaders insist that the government is using fear and propaganda to silence dissent.
With both sides hardening their positions, the political temperature in the country continues to rise in the aftermath of what many are calling a pivotal moment in Kenya’s protest movement.
