Matiang'i defends Uhuru, denies Ruto's claims about 'Deep State'

Interior CS Fred Matiang’i with Archbishop Jackson Ole Sapit during a conference in Nairobi yesterday. [David Njaaga,Standard]

Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i has hit out at  Deputy President William Ruto and defended the Government over the ‘Deep State’ narrative.

In hard-hitting remarks, Dr Matiang’i also defended President Uhuru Kenyatta’s decision to publicly support ODM leader Raila Odinga, saying the President has a democratic right to support a leader of his choice.

“When did the President lose the democratic right? He has not forced anyone to vote for any candidate and everyone has a right to agree or disagree with him,” said Matiangi.

The CS, however, spoke extensively about the Deep State narrative.

“This is a pandemic of lies where people say things that they think make sense to the people. Who is the Deep State? And the people that are using that phrase and complaining are members of the National Security Council. They hold public offices and they tell you they are powerful people,” said Matiang’i.

In what seemed to be a response to the claims by Ruto that he is ‘frustrated’ by the State, Matiang’i termed the Deep-State narrative as an incredible level of political hypocrisy and pettiness.

“These are stories that are being coined and spread around so that people can create excuses and camouflage around things that do not exist to survive or create pathways of lying and tagging the public along with them,” Matiang’i said.

He spoke during the conference of Anglican Church Bishops and senior clergy hosted by Archbishop Jackson Ole Sapit in Nairobi.

 

The CS said the people inciting the public against the Government are ‘political artists’ avoiding  genuine conversations with the electorate.

“You keep saying there are people who hate you called Deep State yet you are with them on a daily basis. When do they become Deep State? When they are with you or when they are not with you?” he posed.  

Matiang’i said the narrative is only meant to create a political jargon and gain popularity through sympathy adding that the claimants are using resources of the State they are castigating.

“You eat, use public money and stay in a house run by the State you are condemning. When does it become Deep State? You are now coming up with campaign jargon by creating fictitious devils that are against you and these devils cannot be described. Then you use coined language and call them Deep State.”

Matiang’i urged political leaders to sell policies and their agenda for the country instead of seeking sympathy.

“Elections are like an interview, but people running around here have public responsibilities yet they are not accounting for what they did when they were holding public offices. Tell the people what you did with what they gave you before asking for more,”  he said.

Matiang’i blamed Ruto for displaying double standards in his political campaigns saying that if one doesn’t agree with the Government of the day, they should step aside.

“In the morning, you speak like the Government, in the afternoon you speak like the Opposition. The betrayal of common sense in the political practice of this country is shocking,” said the CS.

Matiang’i challenged the propagators of the Deep State narrative, saying Kenya is a democratic State hosting regional and international organisations.

“Nairobi houses the largest number of foreign correspondents and media houses on this continent. How will you tell me that there is a covert dark element of government that is intended to do certain things?” he argued.

“In a country that doesn’t have a single detainee, a country where the presidential poll has been nullified before and a re-election done, where is this dark side?” Matiang’i asked.

The CS said the Deep State is language that began from communist socialists that created an impression that State operates at two levels- one that is open and known to everybody and another secret informal level that is devilish and intended to do bad for everyone.