This archive report was first published on 7 August 2019.
On August 7, 2019, President Uhuru Kenyatta sent Interior CS Fred Matiang'i to represent him at the signing of a peace accord between Mozambique President Filipe Nyusi and the country's opposition leader Ossufi Momade.
The high-profile diplomatic event was attended by regional heads of state and statesmen, including Rwandan President Paul Kagame, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, Zambian President Edgar Lungu, and Namibian President Hage Geingob.
Ordinarily, President Kenyatta would send his Deputy President William Ruto or the Foreign Affairs CS to represent him in such international events. However, the choice of Matiang'i is a testament to the Interior CS's growing responsibilities outside of his ministerial duties.
Earlier in the year, Matiang'i was appointed the coordinator of all government projects, including overseeing the work of his colleagues in Cabinet. President Kenyatta has since empowered Matiang'i to chair Cabinet meetings, making him the first minister to hold such powers.
