Fred Okengo Matiang’i is the cabinet secretary for the Ministry of Internal Security in Kenya. He was appointed into office in an acting capacity by President Uhuru Kenyatta on July 8 2017 following the sudden demise of Gen Joseph Ole Nkaissery who was holding the office. Matiang’i, who was then serving as Minister of Education had to double up to serve in both ministries of Education and Interior as well.
In January 2018, Matiang’i took up a full role as the cabinet secretary, ministry of interior following the president’s second comprehensive cabinet appointment. In January 2019, Matiang’i was assigned another role as the chairperson of the national development implementation and communication cabinet committee, giving him more power and authority over other cabinet secretaries (Super CS).
Birth and Age.
Fred Matiang’i was born in the Borabu constituency of Nyamira County in Nyanza region of Kenya. Details about his exact date of birth remains at large.
Education.
After completing his secondary education, Matiang’i proceeded to Kenyatta university where he pursued a Bachelor of Education. Holding a degree in education, Matiang’i enrolled for a master’s degree in English at the University of Nairobi. He later undertook a doctorate degree (Ph.D.) in communication and comparative literature at the university of Nairobi, this acquired him the title of a Doctor.
Fred Matiang’i Family.
Fred Matiang’i is married to his one wife, and together they are blessed with two children. Detailed information about Matiangi’s family remains scanty as he prefers to keep his personal life private. However, he has a brother by the name John Matiang’i who serves as a National treasurer at the Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT).
Wealth and Net-worth.
Dr Matiang’i takes home a hefty gross salary of more than Ksh 1 Million monthly. He earns several allowances owing to his key role and position in the government. In addition to that, he earns from his other investments and business entities. It is only prudent to classify him as a multi-millionaire although the exact figure of his net worth is not in the public domain.
Fred Matiang’i Career Journey.
Matiang’i was a lecturer at the English department at the University of Nairobi. He held research and program implementations positions in various civil organizations in Kenya. He conducted research and training for the commonwealth parliamentary association, the East African legislative council and the Ethiopian national assembly.
Matiang’i was also a columnist for Kenya’s leading newspaper, the Daily Nation.
He was a consultant working with USAID, the World Bank, and the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA). He has worked with other international organizations before joining the cabinet. He was working as an East African representative in the Centre for International Development and teaching at Egerton University before he was appointed to the cabinet.
Fred Matiang’i Working in the Cabinet.
Ministry of ICT.
On 23 April 2013, the newly elected President Uhuru Kenyatta poached Dr. Matiang’i from his teaching profession and recruited him to his cabinet to lead the ministry of Information Communication and Technology (ICT).
While in the Ministry of ICT, he brought a revolution in the sector by ensuring that the country had gone through digital migration, from the use of analog electronic gadgets to digital ones. One of the most significant was migration from analog television sets that used quadrature amplitude to digital ones that use decoders and more advanced smart TVs.
During this time, he received a lot of criticism and controversies from broadcasters and concerned parties regarding the awarding of tenders and frequencies.