Matiang’i raises alarm over Kenya’s image as calls grow for answers on missing Kenyans
He pointed to cases where government officials have struggled to provide clear information on the whereabouts of Kenyans detained by a neighbouring country, calling the situation “shameful.”
Former Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i has sounded the alarm over Kenya’s governance and its standing in the region, warning that poor management and weak foreign policy are harming the country’s reputation.
He cited recent incidents involving Kenyan citizens detained abroad as evidence of the government’s failure to protect its citizens and uphold the nation’s image.
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“I am deeply concerned about our national image, how we are performing as a country, and the decline in the respect we once commanded in this region,” Matiang’i said during an interview on Wednesday with KTN.
He pointed to cases where government officials have struggled to provide clear information on the whereabouts of Kenyans detained by a neighbouring country, calling the situation “shameful.”
“Everywhere I go, I talk to citizens, and the stories they share are deeply troubling for a nation of our stature. It is, in fact, shameful what is happening in our country and how we are operating within the region.”
He blamed the country’s declining influence on mismanagement of domestic affairs and foreign policy, warning that Kenya’s image is being “battered,” the former CS added.
His concerns come amid growing alarm over the abduction of two Kenyan nationals in Uganda nearly a month ago.
Human rights organisations, including Amnesty International, Vocal Africa, and the Law Society of Kenya, have petitioned diplomatic missions to intervene in securing the release of Bob Njagi and Nicholas Oyoo.
It has been exactly 29 days since Njagi and Oyoo were abducted in broad daylight in Kampala, and their whereabouts remain unknown.
“Since then, the two Kenyans have not been seen, and their whereabouts remain unknown, a chilling situation that has sparked panic, anxiety, and growing frustration among their families, friends, and human rights defenders,” the groups said in a joint statement.
Amnesty International, Vocal Africa, and LSK are urging missions from the European Union, the United States, the United Kingdom, and other partners to press both the Ugandan and Kenyan governments to immediately disclose the duo’s location.
The organisations also raised concerns about their health, citing credible reports that Njagi and Oyoo require urgent medical attention.
In their petition, the groups stressed that the enforced disappearance of citizens, whether within or across borders, constitutes a grave violation of human rights that demands immediate international attention and action.
Despite repeated appeals, both governments have yet to provide clarity on the situation, prompting human rights defenders to escalate pressure on the global community.
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