Former Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i has taken a swipe at the Kenya Kwanza government, accusing it of scapegoating the opposition over the violence witnessed during recent anti-government protests.

Speaking at a town hall meeting with Kenyans in the diaspora in Baltimore, USA, on Sunday, July 20, 2025, Matiang’i challenged President William Ruto’s allies to name names and present evidence instead of issuing vague accusations.

“Sometimes they say, ‘oh, it’s the opposition sponsoring violence.’ I tell them, there is nobody in this world called ‘opposition.’ People have names,” Matiang’i remarked.

“If you believe it is Fred Matiang’i, say so and provide proof. Otherwise, you’re just hiding behind lazy narratives to evade accountability.”

The former powerful CS, who once oversaw the country’s internal security, criticized the administration for what he described as political dramatization rather than addressing the core issues raised by citizens taking to the streets.

He urged law enforcement and intelligence agencies to conduct independent investigations into the protests and base any claims on verifiable evidence, not speculation.

“Where are the investigation reports? Where’s the evidence?” he posed. “If security agencies know who is behind the violence, let them speak with facts—not propaganda. Public frustration should not be weaponized for political mileage.”

Matiang’i also cautioned against loosely branding citizen uprisings as coup attempts, warning that such rhetoric could undermine trust in democratic institutions and worsen national tensions.

His remarks come as senior government officials continue to point fingers at the opposition. Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen recently alleged that the June 25 demonstrations were part of a broader scheme to topple the government.

“It’s clear the coup plotters are not sleeping,” Murkomen declared. “This has nothing to do with peaceful protests. It was an unconstitutional attempt to change the regime. The police thwarted a coup attempt.”

However, despite the gravity of such claims, the government has yet to release any concrete evidence linking opposition leaders to the purported coup plot.