Matiang’i Challenges Ruto to Probe 36 River Yala Deaths

Jubilee Party Deputy Leader Fred Matiang’i has called on President William Ruto to establish a commission of inquiry into the deaths of 36 people whose bodies were recovered from River Yala between 2021 and 2022.

Speaking on Inooro Radio on Wednesday, 2 September, the former Interior Cabinet Secretary said he was ready to testify under oath and account for his actions during the period in question. Matiang’i said he had previously called for an inquiry and argued that all members of the National Security Council at the time should be required to explain what they knew about the deaths.

“I am the one who called for a commission of inquiry. If there is an issue about what I said and what was said in the Security Council, then we should go public,” he said.

He said he would willingly appear before any panel appointed by Ruto. Matiang’i identified Ruto, who was Deputy President at the time, and Joseph Boinett, the former Inspector General of Police who is now the President’s security adviser, as key figures whose evidence would be important to the inquiry.

“You can set up a commission of inquiry even at KICC. I am ready to swear with the Bible. I will be the first to arrive there very early in the morning,” he said.

The former CS also challenged anyone with evidence of wrongdoing against him to report it to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations. “If anyone has anything about me, let them come forward and go to the DCI and report. Let the file be opened and let me be charged,” he said.

Matiang’i also addressed the long-running dispute over the Ksh1.5 billion compensation paid for land occupied by two schools in Ruaraka. He denied allegations of impropriety, saying the Ministry of Education, which he headed at the time, had followed the required procedures. He said the National Land Commission was responsible for the acquisition.

“We followed the law and even got approval from the Attorney General and the Treasury. In fact, this matter was for the National Land Commission and not for us as a Ministry,” he said.

Matiang’i further said the High Court had cleared the Ministry of wrongdoing and that a subsequent Court of Appeal ruling did not implicate him.

“Out of the 68 pages of the ruling, none touched on the Ministry of Education that I was involved in any way,” he said.