Former Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i has urged the Gusii community to give him their blessing as he embarks on a mission to build political alliances across the country.

Speaking on Friday, May 2, 2025, in Kisii during his consultative tour of the Gusii region, Matiang’i made a passionate appeal to his supporters, asking them to allow him the freedom to reach out to leaders and communities in every corner of Kenya, with the aim of uniting the nation under shared values and collective progress.

“Kindly allow me to go and seek friendships from all parts of Kenya. Do I have your permission to speak with others?” he asked, drawing loud cheers from the crowd.

 “From here, let us head to Rift Valley, then to Central Province, Eastern—Ukambani and Meru—and also to Western Kenya. Allow me to build friendships there so that together we can move forward.”

Matiang’i stressed that his journey toward building national consensus would not be limited to his backyard.

Instead, he said, it must be grounded in honest conversations with fellow Kenyans across the political and regional divide and reiterated that Kenya’s next chapter must be defined by unity, inclusion, and issue-based partnerships.

“Building alliances must be grounded in honest conversations with fellow Kenyans across every political and regional divide. Our next chapter must be defined by unity, inclusion, and partnerships anchored on the real issues affecting our people.”

Need to keep faith

During the same occasion, Matiang’i rallied Kenyans to hold onto hope despite the country’s growing challenges, urging them to take charge of their future by registering and showing up at the ballot in the next general election.

Amid roaring cheers from the excited crowds gathered at Gusii Stadium, the former Interior Cabinet Secretary emphasised the need for national unity, patience, and a renewed sense of civic duty as the country weathers both economic and social turbulence.

“I want to ask you, my fellow citizens, let us not lose hope. Let us not give up on our country. We must hold on to faith. Kenya is a country built on resilience,” Matiang’i said, his voice at times barely rising above the cheers from the animated crowd.

Matiang’i emphasised that the difficulties Kenyans are facing—ranging from economic pressures to governance frustrations—would eventually pass, provided the people remain united and continue to believe in democratic processes.

He stressed that standing united will be key to making a clear and confident choice of leaders come 2027, adding that when the moment is right, divine guidance will help them steer the country out of its current troubles.

 “All these problems we are facing today will come to an end. We must hold on together as one. And when that time comes, we shall cross that bridge together. God will help us fix this situation,” he assured the crowd, drawing applause and chants of support.

Matiang’i expressed hope that Kenyans had taken his message of unity to heart and went on to emphasise that casting their votes remained one of the most powerful tools at their disposal to help solve the nation’s pressing challenges.

“We have agreed, all of us, to walk this journey together. Let us stand united. Let us move forward hand in hand and, most importantly, let us ensure we register to vote and actually cast our votes,” he added.