Jubilee Deputy Party Leader Fred Matiang’i has issued a stark warning to Kenyans as the country ushers in 2026.

The former Interior Cabinet Secretary has highlighted rising corruption, economic challenges, and declining service delivery as urgent issues that need to be addressed.

Shaping the country’s future

In his end-of-year message to the nation shared via his official X account on Wednesday, December 31, 2025, Matiang’i urged Kenyans, particularly the youth, to take active steps in shaping the country’s future, emphasising voter registration ahead of the 2027 General Election.

“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 cross over into 2026. We navigated a difficult year, 2025, that was characterized 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,” Matiang’i stated.

“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.”

Mass voter registration exercise

He further called on the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to facilitate a nationwide mass registration exercise, with special attention to universities and colleges, to ensure that no eligible voter is left behind.

“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. 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.

“Specifically, voter registration points should be opened up in universities and colleges for all youth to access the centres.”

Matiang’i also criticised the current Kenya Kwanza government for what he described as the erosion of development gains, while promising that the United Opposition will work to stop the slide of the country into “economic and leadership turmoil”.