Matiang’i: Jubilee Party needs to go back to power
By Mabonga Makhanu, May 18, 2026Former Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i has claimed that the ongoing nationwide protests over the fuel price hike are a clear indication of why the Jubilee Party needs to return to power.
Speaking during a Jubilee Party delegates’ meeting that was later cancelled after members had already gathered on Monday, May 18, 2026, Matiang’i argued that the current situation unfolding in the country would not have been witnessed under a Jubilee administration.
“Somebody wanted to know why the Jubilee Party needs to return to power — today, you have the answer. This is the reason why Jubilee should come back.” Fred Matiang’i stated.
Matiang’i, who has emerged as one of the key contenders for the 2027 General Election, stated that if he ascends to power, he would not continue with what he termed as the “fictitious government-to-government (G-to-G) fuel deal” currently being championed by the present regime. According to him, the fuel pricing crisis has been worsened by the G-to-G framework.
The former CS further stated that during the tenure of former President Uhuru Kenyatta, the country never reached the kind of standstill currently being witnessed due to protests over the rising cost of living and fuel prices.
He warned that Kenya is facing a major crisis and cautioned that if the situation continues unchecked, the country could plunge into what he described as a “doomsday scenario”.
Matiang’i’s presidential bid
Matiang’i’s remarks come at a time when he is actively positioning himself for a presidential bid in the 2027 elections. His growing political influence was recently boosted after Jubilee appointed him deputy party leader and fronted him as a possible presidential flag bearer as well as a key figure within the united opposition movement.
Since then, Matiang’i has been traversing different parts of the country in an effort to popularise his 2027 bid.
He was recently accompanied by several opposition leaders during a tour of the Kisii region, where he was symbolically endorsed as the community’s spokesman and elder expected to champion its interests at the national level.
Former President Uhuru Kenyatta has also publicly expressed confidence in Matiang’i, describing him as “kifaru ya kazi” while urging Kenyans to rally behind his leadership ambitions.
Fuel hike protests
The remarks also come amid Jubilee Party’s decision to stand in solidarity with Kenyans and motorists participating in the ongoing protests against fuel prices. This saw the former ruling party cancel its planned meeting in Kiambu Town, which Uhuru Kenyatta was expected to attend.
According to Matiang’i, the party leader felt it would be inappropriate to continue with political activities while Kenyans remained on the streets protesting against the recently increased fuel prices announced during the latest EPRA monthly review.
The ongoing demonstrations have disrupted transport across several parts of the country, with some motorists abandoning their vehicles and reduced activity being witnessed along major highways.