former Interior Cabinet Secretary Dr. Fred Matiang’i has addressed two of the most haunting unresolved cases from his tenure—offering new insights into the government’s handling of the discovery of multiple bodies in River Yala and the 2017 murder of IEBC ICT Manager, Chris Msando.
Speaking during an exclusive interview aired one of the leading TV stations in Kenya on Tuesday, Dr. Matiang’i clarified that the Ministry of Interior actively followed up on both cases during his time in office. He added that by the time he left office, the cases were still being handled by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI).
The River Yala Tragedy: Still a Puzzle
Dr. Matiang’i said that the matter of more than 30 bodies discovered in River Yala was escalated to then Inspector General of Police, Hillary Mutyambai. He revealed that despite pressure, progress was hindered by the lack of positive identification of the victims by their families.
“We asked the Police IG, and it was agreed that the DCI should spend some time there. When they came back, we demanded an inquest,” he said. “However, the DCI required families to positively identify the bodies to establish the circumstances of their deaths. By the time we left office, the file was still open as investigations were ongoing. I did not leave with the file; it was a police matter.”
Msando’s Murder: ‘I Know it the Way You Know it’
Addressing the unresolved murder of Chris Msando—a chilling case that shocked the nation just a week before the 2017 General Election—Dr. Matiang’i was candid, stating that the matter remained open long after his tenure.
“The incident was reported, and I know it the way you know it. We asked several questions about the matter,” he noted, without elaborating further.
The interview comes at a time when Matiang’i has re-entered public discourse, also weighing in on current political developments. In the same interview, he commented on the recent June 25 Gen Z-led protests, asserting, “It wouldn’t have happened under my watch!” He also called out the National Intelligence Service (NIS), saying it was their responsibility to foresee unrest, and firmly denied any political affiliations or claims of being a project of former President Uhuru Kenyatta.
As the public continues to demand justice and closure in these high-profile cases, Dr. Matiang’i’s revelations have reignited debate over how such matters were—and are—handled within Kenya’s security and justice systems. Whether the current administration will pursue them to conclusion remains to be seen.
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