**Kindiki to critics: You are no angels either**
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki has pushed back forcefully against political opponents targeting his ministry, telling them their own records do not withstand scrutiny and warning that those without clean hands should be cautious about hurling accusations.
Kindiki, speaking at a government function, declined to adopt a conciliatory tone in the face of sustained criticism from opposition quarters and some civil society voices, instead turning the spotlight on his detractors. He argued that many of those now positioning themselves as champions of reform and accountability presided over or enabled the very governance failures they now criticise, and that the public deserves honesty about that history.
The comments arrived against a backdrop of genuine pressure on the Interior ministry. A recent report by the Kenya National Union of Teachers flagged an alarming finding: approximately 12 percent of the country’s teaching workforce is considered at risk of suicide, driven by a combination of financial distress, professional burnout, and unaddressed mental health challenges. The KNUT called for urgent government intervention, including expanded access to counselling services and relief on salary deductions that leave many teachers with negligible take-home pay.
Critics have argued that such findings reflect a broader failure of duty of care by the state toward public servants — an argument Kindiki appeared determined not to concede without resistance. He insisted that the current administration inherited structural problems years in the making and is actively working to address them.
Political observers note that Kindiki has developed a reputation for combative responses to criticism since ascending to the Interior docket. Whether that posture serves to strengthen or further polarise the political environment remains a matter of debate as Kenya heads toward the 2027 election.
0 comments