Political commentator Wahome Thuku now says rivals of Jubilee Deputy Party Leader Fred Matiang’i cannot resist him.

Wahome wrote on Facebook on Saturday, July 4, 2026, that politicians who disagree with Matiang’i would still seize an opportunity to take photographs with him and associate themselves with his growing political stature.

His remarks came after Matiang’i issued a statement denying that his airport encounter with Kisii Governor Simba Arati and Suna East MP Junet Mohamed involved a political deal or a planned closed-door meeting.

Arati and Junet are among prominent ODM leaders backing President William Ruto and the broad-based government arrangement, while Matiang’i is positioning himself as an opposition presidential contender ahead of the 2027 General Election.

Wahome’s message

Addressing Matiang’i directly, Wahome argued that the attention generated by the photographs demonstrated the former Interior Cabinet Secretary’s political significance.

“TO my friend Fred Matiang’i. If Junet Mohamed and Simba Arati had bumped into Rigathi Gachagua at the airport, they would not have even shaken hands.

“Okay, probably they would have shaken hands, not taken group photos, let alone posting them online and even creating an impression that they were having a closed-door meeting,” Wahome wrote.

He suggested that the two leaders would not have treated a similar encounter with former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua with the same enthusiasm.

According to Wahome, politicians want to be publicly associated with Matiang’i because of the political attention surrounding his name.

“It’s called ENVY. They can’t skip a photo moment with you and you should allow them to busk in that glory. I hope I have passed the message,” he added.

Matiang’i denies meeting

Matiang’i had earlier explained that he met Arati and Junet by chance after checking in at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.

“This morning, after checking in at the Kenya Airways desk at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, I bumped into Kisii Governor Hon. Simba Arati and Suna East MP Hon. Junet Mohamed, who had also checked in and were travelling to Kisumu. It was a chance encounter as each of us proceeded to board our flight,” Matiang’i stated.

The photographs circulated widely online, with some political observers interpreting the encounter as evidence of a possible engagement involving Matiang’i and the two ODM leaders.

Matiang’i rejected that interpretation and maintained that no meeting had been organised.

“Contrary to false claims circulating online, this was neither a meeting held last night nor a planned engagement. It was simply a chance encounter between leaders at the airport,” the former Interior Cabinet Secretary stated.

Political spotlight

Wahome sought to turn the airport controversy in Matiang’i’s favour.

Rather than treating the photographs as evidence of negotiations, he presented them as proof that leaders from rival political camps recognise Matiang’i’s growing relevance and want to be seen alongside him.

The episode also demonstrates the intensity of Kenya’s emerging 2027 political contest, where even an unplanned airport encounter can trigger debate about alliances, negotiations and shifting loyalties.