Former Interior Cabinet Secretary and Jubilee Party Deputy Leader Fred Matiang’i has issued a strong New Year message warning that Kenya risks sliding further into poverty and hardship if urgent action is not taken in 2026.

In a statement shared on X on Thursday, January 1, 2026, Matiang’i reflected on the struggles Kenyans faced in 2025 and called for accountability, citizen pressure, and mass voter registration ahead of the 2027 General Election.

Opening his message with a note of gratitude and reflection, Matiang’i acknowledged the difficulties of the past year while wishing Kenyans at home and in the diaspora a hopeful start to 2026.

“Fellow brothers and sisters in Kenya and Diaspora, may I take this early opportunity to wish you a Happy and Prosperous 2026. I thank the Almighty God for the precious gift of life throughout a challenging year, 2025, and for allowing us to crossover into 2026,” Matiangi said

He then painted a picture of a country weighed down by rising costs and strained public services, saying many families felt the impact of economic pressure throughout the year.

“We navigated a difficult year, 2025, that was characterised by increased cost of living, declining quality of healthcare, high rates of insecurity, and unprecedented cases of school dropouts due to delayed government funding under free education programmes, among other challenges,” Matiangi said

Matiang’i warned that without deliberate intervention, the situation could worsen, pointing to corruption and inequality as major drivers of hardship.

“Unless substantial efforts are made in 2026, our country will continue sliding into the abyss of poverty and dehumanising living conditions. Unprecedented corruption levels within government and unfair distribution of public resources continue to hurt our country in unimaginable ways,” Matiangi said

He urged Kenyans to actively demand better leadership and service delivery, insisting that failure should not be excused.

“In 2026, we must pressure the Government to end the endemic corruption and ineptitude in service delivery. Ineffective public service must not be condoned at any cost,” Matiangi said

Positioning the opposition as a key force in pushing back, Matiang’i said they would continue engaging citizens across the country.

“As the United Opposition, we will persistently keep our feet on the pedal to stop the consistent slide of our country into economic and leadership turmoil,” Matingi said

Looking ahead to the 2027 elections, he stressed the importance of voter participation, especially among young people, and called on the electoral body to act.

“With our eye firmly focused on winning the General Election in 2027, I urge all eligible Kenyans, mainly the youth, to register as voters in large numbers,” he said

“To facilitate this process, the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission must urgently launch a nationwide mass registration exercise to ensure no one is left behind in the process,” he stated

He concluded by warning that Kenya could not afford another term of poor leadership, urging citizens to take responsibility for the country’s future.

“For our country will not afford another term for the Kenya Kwanza regime that is hellbent on eroding all the development gains that previous governments had made,” Matiangi said