Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has accused former Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang'i of representing the face of impunity, corruption and extrajudicial killings in Kenya.
Duale made the remarks during a parliamentary committee session on December 12, 2025, while responding to questions on public service reforms.
"The man who was in charge of security under the Uhuru administration is the epitome of impunity, corruption and judicial killings," Duale said. "Fred Matiang'i presided over a regime where dissent was crushed, resources were looted, and innocent lives were lost without accountability."
The Health CS claimed that Matiang'i's tenure from 2015 to 2022 was marked by widespread human rights abuses, including forced disappearances and police brutality.
Duale cited the 2017 post-election violence investigations, where international reports documented over 400 killings allegedly by security forces. "Under Matiang'i's watch, police became tools of suppression," he said. "Families are still searching for loved ones who vanished during protests."
On corruption, Duale alleged that Matiang'i oversaw irregular procurement in the security sector, including the Sh6.2 billion police leasing programme that Auditor-General reports flagged for overpricing and lack of value for money. "Billions were siphoned through ghost contracts," Duale stated. "The man who preached integrity was at the heart of the rot."
Matiang'i, now Jubilee Party Deputy Leader, dismissed the accusations as baseless political witch-hunt. "Duale is recycling old lies to distract from his own failures," Matiang'i said in a statement from his Kisii office on December 13. "During my time, we reformed the police, reduced crime by 28 percent, and ensured accountability through IPOA. If there is evidence, let him table it in court, not Parliament."
The former Interior CS accused Duale of selective amnesia, pointing to the current administration's handling of the 2024 Finance Bill protests where over 60 youth were killed. "The pot calling the kettle black," Matiang'i said. "Duale's government has presided over more extrajudicial killings in two years than we did in eight. Let him look in the mirror."
The exchange has reignited debates on accountability for past and present administrations. Kenya National Commission on Human Rights Commissioner Roseline Odede called for independent probes. "Accusations are easy; justice requires evidence," Odede said. "Both administrations must face scrutiny for human rights violations."
Political analyst Martin Ouma described the spat as part of pre-2027 positioning. "Duale is Ruto's attack dog, targeting Azimio figures like Matiang'i," Ouma said. "Matiang'i is rebuilding in Jubilee, so this is an attempt to tarnish him early."
Duale's comments come amid the Truth, Justice and Reconciliation Commission's renewed mandate to investigate extrajudicial killings from 2007 to 2022. The TJRC has summoned Matiang'i to testify on January 15, 2026.
Matiang'i maintained his innocence. "I served with honour and left a legacy of secure borders and reformed policing," he said. "These attacks will not deter me from serving Kenyans in whatever capacity."
The feud has drawn reactions from civil society. Amnesty International Kenya Director Irungu Houghton: "Leaders trading barbs on killings trivialises victims' pain," Houghton said. "We need investigations, not insults."
As tensions escalate, observers expect more revelations as 2027 approaches.
