Former Interior CS Matiangí Calls For Public Inquiry into River Yala Deaths

Former Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i has publicly addressed the unresolved issue of the bodies discovered in River Yala, advocating for a public inquiry to establish the facts.

Matiang’i, while clarifying that he did not have direct command of the police, stated that investigations into the matter were ongoing when his tenure ended. He contended that the current administration has politicized the issue, noting the contradiction in officials claiming a CS lacks direct police command while simultaneously attributing blame to him for the scandal.

He provided a timeline of events initiated in 2021 after media reports highlighted the grim discoveries. According to Matiang’i, he promptly instructed the Director of Criminal Investigations (DCI) to investigate. Subsequently, an inquest was formally requested during a National Security Council meeting.

Matiang’i elaborated on the initial police efforts, which focused on identifying victims’ families to reconstruct the circumstances surrounding their disappearances and the eventual discovery of their bodies.

The former CS expressed his willingness to testify before a judge in a public inquest, which he views as the most objective path to resolution. He condemned the practice of politicizing security matters and cautioned against the damaging effects of unsubstantiated claims. He emphasized the necessity for all unresolved cases to undergo thorough and transparent investigations, handled within their appropriate context.

The River Yala Mystery

The discovery of numerous unidentified bodies in River Yala, brought to national attention in early 2022, remains a significant unresolved issue in Kenya. The case sparked widespread concerns regarding extrajudicial killings, the effectiveness of police investigations, and the state of human rights in the country. At the time of these accusations, Fred Matiang’i served as the Cabinet Secretary for Interior.