Speaking on Radio Generation on Thursday, Matere described the President’s statements as “quite unfortunate,” stressing that Kenya’s diversity should be celebrated rather than ridiculed.
“Kenya is a highly heterogeneous society, very diverse, about 45 plus ethnic communities… and therefore, it's quite unfortunate that the national political stage can sink down to the level of body shaming,” he said.
Matere faulted the President for failing to meet the expectations set by his office, noting that the presidency is meant to be a symbol of unity under the Constitution.
“Whether I’m tall or short, whether I’m fat… I am supposed to feel Kenyan when I see the presidency in place,” Matere said. He added that such behavior “falls short of the expectations of the Leadership and Integrity Act.”
Beyond the personal nature of the remarks, Matere accused the President of shifting focus away from urgent challenges facing Kenyans. “He continues to engage us in empty rhetoric when the real matters that are actually disturbing Kenyans are quite elusive to him,” he said.
Matere highlighted rising youth unemployment, pointing out that “about 1 million young people” remain jobless. He also mentioned ongoing struggles with education costs, healthcare access, and the devastating impact of floods that have claimed dozens of lives.
For Matere, these issues should dominate national debate rather than personal attacks. With the next general election looming, he called for a more serious and focused discussion on governance and accountability.
He urged the government to manage available resources carefully, noting that the current administration has limited time to implement meaningful change. “It's time we have a candid conversation as a country on how we need to fix it,” Matere said, warning that a continued decline in leadership standards risks setting a dangerous precedent for Kenya’s future.