Miguna: Fred Matiang’i unfit to lead after orchestrating my 2018 torture, deportation
Miguna says the former CS cannot be entrusted with leadership, having presided over what he terms as gross abuse of office during his time in government.
Canada-based lawyer Miguna Miguna has dismissed former Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i as unfit to lead the country, citing a history of alleged human rights violations and disregard for the rule of law.
Matiang’i has formally declared his intention to run for the presidency in 2027, signalling a political comeback anchored on unity, service, and experience.
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However, Miguna says the former Interior CS cannot be entrusted with leadership, having presided over what he terms as gross abuse of office during his time in government.
Speaking during an interview with Citizen TV on Sunday, Miguna recalled a series of incidents that he claims demonstrate Matiang’i’s active involvement in violating his constitutional rights, including his deportation and prolonged exile.
“I specifically wanted to refer to many instances where Dr Matiang’i subjected not just me to atrocious abuse, torture and violations of my constitutional and human rights, but also defied multiple court orders in an egregious and unconscionable manner,” Miguna said.
According to Miguna, Matiang’i personally authorised his 2018 deportation to Canada, following his association with the then-outlawed National Resistance Movement (NRM). Miguna was detained and later placed on a KLM flight to Canada via Amsterdam, after Matiang’i declared him “not a citizen of Kenya” and a threat to national interest.
Quoting the deportation directive, Miguna said: “I, Fred Matiang’i, PhD, EGH, Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of Interior and Coordination of National Government responsible for immigration matters, hereby declare that Miguna Miguna, who is not a citizen of Kenya and whose presence in Kenya is contrary to national interest, be removed from Kenya to his country of origin, Canada, and further directed that he remain in prison custody while arrangements for removal are being undertaken.”
He accused Matiang’i of ignoring court orders that had declared his detention illegal and ordered his release.
“This was after Justice Wakiaga had issued a habeas corpus order, and after Justice Kimaru had repeatedly ordered that I be released or charged in court. Instead, they sedated me, abducted me, and dumped me in Dubai,” he said.
Miguna also claimed that despite multiple rulings, Matiang’i has never honoured court findings against him, including one that found him in contempt.
“There were several court orders that found not just that he subverted the Constitution, but also that he was unfit to hold public office. He has not honoured any of them. He has not paid the damages awarded to me, including the conviction by Justice Odunga on March 28, 2018, which he has refused to comply with,” Miguna said.
He further accused the former CS of destroying his valid Kenyan passport and orchestrating illegal red alerts to bar him from returning to the country for over five years.
“If we want to transform this country, and I believe we do as Kenyans, we cannot tolerate, entertain or coddle characters like Matiang’i,” he said. “Let’s talk about these issues because if we don’t, we are not going to help this country.”
He also accused the media of historical revisionism and shielding powerful figures from accountability.
“You’ve never even shown the destruction of my home. You’ve never played clips of my torture. You’ve never shown how Dr Matiang’i defied court orders and flew me out of the country against my will,” he said.
Matiangi recently defended his decision to run for the top seat, saying it was informed by the growing public frustration, a breakdown in trust between citizens and government, and what he termed as a lack of clear national direction.
“Kenya doesn’t need a saviour or ruler. It needs an honest, hardworking, consensus-building leader who can restore trust and guide the country forward. That’s the kind of leadership I want to offer,” he said.
“The level of pain and misery in the country is alarming considering our resources and capacity. When I talk to school principals and parents, I see frustration because there’s no clear direction in policy or support. That should not be the case.”
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