Former Interior Cabinet Secretary Dr. Fred Matiang’i has broken his silence following the June 25, 2025 protests, calling for urgent national introspection, responsible leadership, and an end to political trivialization of serious crises.

Speaking to the press on June 29, Matiang’i condemned the current wave of violence and protests, urging both leaders and citizens to recognize the gravity of Kenya’s situation.

“We are not fine. This cycle of violence and disagreements and protests really has to come to an end,” he said, stressing that the unrest witnessed in recent days reflects deeper issues that cannot be ignored.

According to the former CS, the country’s youth are not seeking chaos but rather meaningful engagement.

“What our young people are seeking is that they are listened to, and our leaders in government, who are the ones who have power, are the only ones who can put people together,” he said.

He criticized leaders who, instead of addressing the root causes of the protests, have chosen to make dismissive and tribal remarks.

The former leader expressed dismay at some of the statements being made in the aftermath of the protests, saying, “When something happens like what happened on last Wednesday, we now begin saying things that are very interesting. It’s even difficult to repeat the things I’m hearing.”

He took specific issue with those attributing the protests to certain communities.

“You know that is worse than a joke, honestly, when we are talking about the grave nature of the challenges that we are dealing with. How can we trivialize such a serious national crisis and then subject it to hilarious jokes like that? Let’s be serious.”

In one of his most striking remarks, he said, “You don’t need a PhD from Harvard to know we are headed in the wrong direction — you can see, it is written all over the place.”

Dr. Fred Matiang’i called for an end to premature discussions about elections, emphasizing that the country’s immediate priority should be national stability. According to the former Interior Cabinet Secretary, Kenya must first overcome its current challenges and ensure peace before engaging in electoral debates.

He urged both citizens and leaders to treat this period as a moment of patriotism and leadership. Matiang’i stressed that the focus should now be on restoring unity and addressing the pressing issues facing the nation, rather than getting distracted by political ambitions.

He asked those in power to rise above excuses and face the crisis head-on. “Let’s stand up and do the right thing for our country, and it cannot be based on excuses, some of them laughable.”