Fresh questions have emerged over the role of former Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i during his tenure at the World Bank, with critics challenging his recent positioning as an economic reform advocate.
In a statement circulating in political circles, concerns were raised about Matiang’i’s time at the global lender between 2022 and 2025, a period when Kenya secured multi-billion shilling loans that contributed to the country’s rising public debt, now estimated at Sh 12.3 trillion.
“Dr. Matiang’i, you are presenting yourself as a World Bank expert who understands how to fix our economy. However, records show you joined the World Bank in 2022, right as the bank was approving multi-billion shilling loans that have contributed to our Sh 12.3 trillion debt,” the statement read.
The critics questioned whether Matiang’i had any involvement in advising on the loan structures that have since increased the country’s tax burden.
“As an insider at the Bank from 2022 to 2025, did you advise on these loan structures that have now resulted in the highest tax burden in Kenyan history?” the statement posed.
They further challenged his credibility in offering economic solutions, given his alleged proximity to decision-making processes at the time.
“If you were in Washington while these financial policies were being designed for Kenya, why should we believe you are the solution to the problem you were part of approving?” the statement added.
The remarks come amid heightened political debate over Kenya’s debt levels, taxation policies, and the role of international lenders in shaping the country’s economic direction.
Dr. Matiang’i has yet to publicly respond to the claims.
