Former CS Matiang’i Lays Ground work Ahead of His 2027 Presidential Bid
Former Interior Cabinet Secretary(CS) Fred Matiang’i enlists the services of the Canadian lobbying firm Dickens & Madson, committing a retainer fee of Ksh 32 million for his campaign push towards the 2027 presidential election.
The firm led by controversial former Mossad agent Ari Ben-Menashe will lobby influential agencies in Kenya, the United States and other foreign governments to boost his international profile and support fundraising efforts.
Documents filed with the United States Department of Justice under the Foreign Agents Registration Act show that Matiang’i has already made a $65,000 down payment for the firm’s services.
Dickens & Madson recently had a similar role in the 2024 Botswana elections where they successfully supported the campaign of newly elected President Duma Boko.
While Matiang’i seeks to enhance his international profile through the Montreal-based firm, the controversial history of Dickens and Madson may prove to be a double-edged sword.
The firm has faced scrutiny in the past, mainly because of its involvement with Myanmar’s military junta in 2021 and its association with Sudanese General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, known as Hemedti, in 2019.
Since leaving office in 2022, Matiang’i has maintained a low public profile. However, he intends to leverage his notable achievements as minister of Information and Communications Technology and later Education.
During his tenure, Kenya saw the successful transition from analogue to digital television broadcasting and the implementation of measures to curb widespread examination malpractices.
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