Elections 2022 is now behind us but one man was in the eye of the storm and that was CS Dr. Fred Matiangi.
It was in 2018 and I had just moved to Nairobi. One morning I got a call from CS Matiang’i’s office. At that time he was acting as interior CS while he was still looking after education hence the call was from Jogoo’s house.
We agreed I’ll be at his office at 8 am the next day and the agenda was not revealed. The next day right on time I drove into the Jogoo house parking lot. Well I rarely visit let me I don’t visit government offices if I do, it will be a very rare occasion, and most will be private sector meeting government officials.
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I was well received and ushered to a designated lift. My handler took me to the office of the good CS.
I was ushered to the boardroom and I was served some tea as I waited to see CS Matiangi a man I have never met before but I did admire his passion and zeal in his role as CS ICT and also education. He had just tackled media Kenya and their refusal to release frequencies and local TV stations even shut for 7 days as they protested, well that is now all water under the bridge.
CS Matiangi was then housed at Jogoo house where he tackled head-on exam leakages which were big business then. Kids would get flying colors only to flop at university be it in a law class or medicine.
After about 10 minutes a well-built man in a smart dark suit walks in and says ” Jambo Ndugu Mohammed Hersi”.
I was still in the dark not knowing why I was summoned but I did alert my wife and two close friends just in case …..
Well it was a very good meeting and good CS goes ahead to say, Mohammed Hersi , I just want to thank you with my family from the bottom of my heart for what you did for me, you may not recall but my brother you helped me.
I was now totally lost, could it be mistaken identity? I help a whole cabinet secretary and a powerful CS for that matter, I was wondering trying to remember anything. I was honestly bank.
Then he says, Mohammed Hersi do you recall when I had an incident at JKIA and you did write a piece asking Kenyans to cut the CS some slack? Oh, then I remembered that article that I posted on my blog and FB. I even went ahead to give my own examples where I was allowed to jump the queue in Joburg and even Heathrow because I was running late due to earlier flight delays.
He went on and opened up and said he was really down when media and Kenyans were baying for his blood yet he didn’t do any wrong and that young lady made a meal out of that incident. He said his relative in the US alerted him about my piece and he used that to share it with the media in Kenya and told them what this writer has explained is exactly what happened at JKIA and the JKIA incident died a natural death.
We exchanged contacts and since then we kept in close touch as Chairman of the Kenya Tourism Federation. He played a big role to help us in addressing insecurity matters and was always willing to help. My relationship with him was purely professional and many of you would be wondering if I tried seeking favors. Well, you see that is not in my nature and I don’t chase deals.
Now that he is no longer in the office I felt I could share the other side of CS Matiang’i the soft side of the no-nonsense CS was later referred to as super CS. He may have stepped on some toes as he executed his duties but again it is part of life. We have all been wronged, let me tell you I have also been wronged by people but I forgave them and moved on. Real men and women forgive.
When NARC won likes of Kiraitu and others wanted Kibaki to deal with Moi and even arrest him…..Kibaki was clear the task ahead of them was huge he didn’t want to get distracted besides he was now a President for all Kenyans well only real men do that.
Our new president is also very clear he holds no grudges against anyone. He was wronged the most so why would you yes who never interacted with CS Matiangi feel more aggrieved? Real men forgive to help them focus on bigger things in life and HE William Ruto is one such man.
To Ndugu Matiangi you served Kenya to the best of your ability and wherever you are and whatever you do I wish you all the very best. Kenya is home to all of us.
As always I choose to remain an optimist
God Bless Kenya
Mohammed Hersi, Mombasa Kenya
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