Dr. Fred Matiang’i has formally declared his intention to run for the presidency in 2027. His political prominence stems mainly from his tenure in the Uhuru Kenyatta administration, particularly as Cabinet Secretary for the Ministry of Interior and Coordination of National Government. He initially assumed the role in an acting capacity on July 8, 2017, following the death of Hon. Joseph Nkaissery, while simultaneously serving as Cabinet Secretary for Education, Science and Technology. In January 2018, President Kenyatta confirmed him as the full Cabinet Secretary for Interior in a major cabinet reshuffle.

On January 22, 2019, Matiang’i was appointed chairperson of the National Development Implementation and Communication Cabinet Committee through Executive Order No. 1 of 2019. The committee, comprising all Cabinet Secretaries, the Attorney-General, and the Head of Public Service (who served as the secretariat), was tasked with fast-tracking government programs. Matiang’i was seen as President Kenyatta’s trusted “fix-it” man, known for delivering results under pressure.

Earlier in his public service career, Matiang’i led the Ministry of Information, Communication, and Technology, where he oversaw the country’s digital migration despite resistance from broadcasters and controversies surrounding frequency and tender allocations. At the Ministry of Education, he was credited with restoring integrity to the national examination system, earning widespread praise from both the public and the executive.

However, his time in office was not without controversy. He faced significant public criticism following the government’s decision to shut down several media houses during the unofficial swearing-in of opposition leader Raila Odinga as the “People’s President” on January 30, 2018. The Communications Authority of Kenya (CA), under instructions from the Ministry of Interior, pulled three major broadcast stations off the air. The next day, Matiang’i justified the shutdown in a national address, citing national security concerns and alleging that certain individuals were stoking tensions that could have resulted in mass casualties.

Before joining the government, Dr. Matiang’i was the regional representative for Eastern Africa at the Centre for International Development, located at the Rockefeller College of Public Affairs and Policy, State University of New York. He entered the Cabinet on April 23, 2013, as the Secretary for Information, Communication, and Technology.