Matiang'i: Healing the nation will be my first priority as president

Former Interior CS Fred Matiang'i addressing the press during the unveiling of the new registration plates in GSU Recce Squad Unit headquarters on 30th August 2022. [File, Standard] Former Cabinet Secretary, Dr Fred Matiang'i has said that he would prioritise healing the nation should if elected president. He said the country is suffering from heavy divisions. Matiang'i noted that the country is facing a myriad of challenges, a majority of which are man-made, saying the time to lead in seeking solutions has come, optimistic that better days for the country are coming. "My item number one if I got that opportunity would be beginning a programme of healing the nation because our country is suffering from divisions, all these pain... but I believe that we will get there and solve those challenges together," said Matiang'i. Matiang'i made the remarks when he addressed Kenyans in Minnesota, USA. "I am ready to lead the team to fix those challenges, I am ready. Because this is not geophysics, this is not rocket science. These are straightforward matters where we need honesty and trust to make the decisions. We either stand up, be focused, and deal with the challenges in our country, or we will soon have no country," he stated. The former CS said Kenyans have been victims of bad management and decisions made by the leadership of the country, which are then followed by a lot of hoodwinking. "I honestly believe that if you do your work, you don't need drama because the results of your work will be seen. This pretense that we have had over the years, where we are told lies and now season two of that is about to begin," he said. He stated: "People are flying around the country with helicopters every Friday in the form of empowerment... dramatizing things. Then they end up in a village, they give those poor people Sh64 shillings, that is not even one dollar." "Let's be serious. Our country is better than that. So, that is why we are here, and I promise that working together, all of us, we will fix these challenges, bring about integrity to the management of public affairs, and also create trust," Matiang'i added. He noted that Kenyans are looking for a government they can trust, not the kind that leaders are not sure what they tell the people is going to work or not. Matiangi, also commended public servants, who are hardworking, competent and professional saying he has worked in this sector before and had first-hand experience with them. He also called for merit in promotions because public servants are qualified for the jobs they do and not because of the ethnic communities they come from. Matiang'i also condemned over taxation of pay slips, which has seen many lose their morale and said he will fix this, if granted the mandate. "They don't need a benevolent guy from heaven to come and give them lectures every day and dictate them on what they are supposed to be doing. They just need to be respected, be given an opportunity to move forward," he said. Insisting: "People are promoted because they are qualified to do the job not parachuting people left, right, and center because of ethnic communities they come from. Collecting some political steel bones and assigning them responsibility to boss around public servants and spend time insulting them every day...We are consultants, advisors and have reinvented the way in which public service is supposed to be run. Yet, public service is what holds our country together, as it were." He also lashed out on Government for bringing tons of food supplies like rice, at the expense of local farmer, who have huge stocks in their stores while others have not been paid for months on ends. "We are here to solve problems and that's why I say it, and this will remain my mantra. I am coming to you to ask you, that by the grace of God, when we get to that point, I will ask not only ask for your vote, but also holding it to account. And when you have given me your vote, I want to work so that we move forward."

Matiang'i: Healing the nation will be my first priority as president

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Matiang'i: Healing the nation will be my first priority as president

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