Former Interior Cabinet Secretary Dr Fred Matiang’i has jetted back to the country.

Matiang’i landed at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) on Thursday, April 17 night from the United States.

The Qatar Airways flight touched down at Nairobi’s JKIA at around 11:40 pm, with the former powerful minister during retired President Uhuru Kenyatta’s administration received by Jubilee Party Secretary General Jeremiah Kioni and Kisii Senator Richard Onyonka.

At JKIA, Matiang’i declined to address the media.

Kioni: Matiang’i would easily unseat Ruto

Matiang’i returns to Kenya at the backdrop of sustained speculations that he is in the 2027 presidential race. Choosing to remain tightlipped all along, Matiang’i is expected to officially announce his next political direction.

Jubilee Party has already declared that it will be supporting his presidential bid. Speaking during a leadership meeting in Narok on Saturday January 25, 2025, Kioni expressed confidence that Matiang’i would easily beat President William Ruto in the 2027 elections.

“We as the Jubilee Party have our own candidate, Fred Matiang’i. He will face off with the others to ensure Ruto goes home,” Kioni stated.

Kioni also opines that Matiang’i has the ability to transform Kenya in the shortest time possible. 

Having served in the cabinet for 10 years, Kioni says Matiang’i has the requisite experience to kick start stalled projects and revive programs like Edu-Afya, vision 2030 and also ensure stalled dams are done.

Not so long ago, the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) and Jubilee were locked in a standoff over which party ticket Matiang’i will run for president.

Matiang’i a non-factor – Mokua

But according to Political Risk Analyst Dismas Mokua, all the hype surrounding Matiang’i will end in a whimper, as he is a non-factor in 2027 Presidential Election.

Speaking in an interview with TV47’s Fred Indimuli on Tuesday, January 28, Mokua said the so-called ‘Matiang’i factor in Kisii politics’ was a fallacy, equating it to the pre-2022 ‘Karua factor’ that did not yield desired results.

“I see people referring to ‘Matiang’i factor in Kisii politics’. In 2022, we had ‘Martha Karua factor’. Many anticipated that she [Karua] was going to literally shake the mountain and votes would pour into Raila Odinga’s basket, nothing of the sort happened! Now I see people thinking of a similar wave in Kisii, that’s far from the truth,” Mokua opined.

Political analysts have also argued that Matiang’i might join ranks with the likes of Kalonzo Musyoka, Rigathi Gachagua, Martha Karua, and Eugene Wamalwa to form a super coalition that will unseat President Ruto in 2027.