After a prolonged absence from public view, Fred Matiang’i, the former Interior Cabinet Secretary, surfaced on Wednesday to respond to accusations of orchestrating the closure of Kenyatta University Campus in Kigali, Rwanda. Summoned by the National Assembly’s Public Investment Committee, Matiang’i, who had been out of the limelight, virtually appeared to defend himself against these claims.
Explaining his earlier absence, Matiang’i stated he was in Washington DC, United States, which hindered his physical presence at the committee hearing. During the session, he clarified that the closure of the campus, which incurred a loss of Ksh600 million for taxpayers, was not instigated by the Kenyan government or university management.
He asserted that the shutdown was carried out by Rwandan authorities and regulators, absolving himself from any wrongdoing. Notably, an Auditor General’s report revealed that the government had invested Ksh420 million in the project, yet Kenya did not reap any economic benefits from it.
This public appearance marked Matiang’i’s first since March when charges filed against him by the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP) were dropped. The DPP had provided evidence to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) regarding conspiracy to commit a felony and publication of false information. However, the case was dismissed as the evidence failed to meet the legal threshold required to substantiate the charges.
The nature of Matiang’i’s current stay in the United States remains uncertain, raising questions about his residence status or the purpose of his visit. Regardless, his reappearance has cast light on the KU Kigali Campus issue, challenging the accusations against him and shedding new perspectives on the controversy.
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