Fred Matiang’i Shares How Encounter with Zambia’s President Influenced His Politics

Former Interior Cabinet Secretary Dr Fred Matiang’i has signalled his intention to run for the presidency, citing a private meeting with Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema in 2022 as a key moment that shaped his political ambition.

Speaking at a prayer breakfast hosted by the Adventist Men Organization (AMO) in Lavington, Nairobi, Matiang’i described the meeting as spiritually significant and personally transformative. He had travelled to Lusaka as Kenya’s special envoy shortly after Hichilema’s electoral victory. 

What was expected to be a formal diplomatic visit turned into a candid and faith-centred discussion at the Zambian leader’s residence. Matiang’i recalled that the two leaders, both members of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, dismissed their security teams and sang the hymn He Leadeth Me in their respective mother tongues. 

He described the moment as deeply moving, noting that it surprised even their security personnel. Following the worship session, President Hichilema gave Matiang’i a tour of his home and shared the personal challenges he had faced during his years in opposition.

These included politically motivated arrests, damaged property, and the death of a lawyer during a court hearing. According to Matiang’i, the conversation highlighted Hichilema’s commitment to leadership despite adversity.

“He told me that he had to fight for the presidency so that he can do the right thing,” Matiang’i said, adding that the encounter marked a turning point in his own political thinking.

Although he has not announced his party affiliation, Matiang’i’s remarks at the event suggested a clear interest in the presidency. Addressing the congregation, he urged Kenyans, especially the youth, to take civic responsibility seriously and to hold leaders accountable.

“You will hear of a lot of stories, some even maligning members of our families, but that’s the nature of politics,” he said. “It’s the sacrifice we must make if we have to redeem our countries.”

Matiang’i also criticised tribalism as a continuing threat to national cohesion and called on voters to choose leaders based on merit, not ethnicity. “It’s only during elections that the issue of this one is Luo, that one Kikuyu and the other one Kisii comes up,” he noted. “We can overcome this and look for diligent leaders.”

Quoting former US President John F. Kennedy, he urged citizens to focus on service to the country: “Ask not what your country can do for you but what you can do for your country.”

The prayer breakfast, held under the theme “Show Yourself a Man -for God and Country,” brought together men of faith to reflect on leadership, family values, and national service.