Gem Member of Parliament Elisha Odhiambo is readying a suit against former Interior Cabinet Secretary Dr. Fred Matiang’i for extrajudicial killings during his time in the Jubilee government..

Odhiambo confirmed that he was drafting a petition to bar Dr. Matiang‘i from vying for the presidency, claiming that he oversaw what he called government–sponsored atrocities – particularly the dumping of bodies of mutilated individuals in River Yala.

“As MP for Gem, I had a meeting with lawyers last night having listened to the statement of Matiang’i confirming that a number of Kenyans who were butchered were thrown in River Yala, we are going to petition court so that we can hold him culpable as an individual for having thrown bodies in River Yala so that he can be accountable as a former holder of Interior office,” Odhiambo said.

Odhiambo accused Matiang’i of presiding over a reign of terror that, he says, left deep environmental and humanitarian scars in parts of Gem constituency.

The lawmaker claimed that during Matiang’i’s tenure, several bodies were discovered dumped in River Yala – an atrocity he described as “environmental terrorism.” He said the mass dumping not only traumatized the community but also posed serious risks to public health and the environment.

Matiang’i had defended himself against growing calls for accountability for the corpses along River Yala during his tenure, affirming that he had done what he was supposed to do when the matter came into his attention.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with Citizen TV on Tuesday, Matiang’i said he escalated the issue to the then Inspector General of Police, Hillary Mutyambai.

Matiang’i dismissed claims linked to him and the River Yala killings as politically driven. He argued that blaming him for the crimes committed by rogue police officers was no less ridiculous than blaming him for road accidents or for deadly robberies.

“If I were responsible for a crime that was committed by a police officer when I was Minister for Interior, then I’m responsible for all road accidents, all robbery with violence cases… It’s just not possible,” Matiang’i said.

His comments come amid growing public scrutiny following reports by the International Justice Mission (IJM), which revealed that at least 36 bodies were recovered from River Yala. Many of the bodies showed signs of torture and were found in disturbing conditions – some decomposed, some stuffed in sacks, others with plastic bags over their heads – strongly suggesting foul play.

Matiang’i maintained that when the bodies were reported to him, he took the matter seriously. Along with other senior security leaders, he ordered an emergency inquest and asked then Inspector General of Police Hilary Mutyambai and the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) to launch a serious investigation.

“The gravity of the situation was such that the DCI himself should go to that place and find out what’s happening. When they came back, we asked for an inquest at the National Security Council,” he explained.

The investigative process involved identifying the victims, contacting families to claim the bodies, collecting witness statements, and compiling a case file. He said the file remained open and under investigation when he left office.

Matiang’i pushed back against accusations of personal responsibility, insisting the police acted independently during his tenure. He accused his critics of invoking his name only when it suited their political agenda.

“Our detractors… they choose when it is convenient to say the police service is dependent on the minister. You wouldn’t even influence the investigation for any particular purposes,” he said.

He emphasized that the appropriate path to justice was through a transparent public inquest and said he was ready to testify.

“I’m ready to go before a magistrate or judge and say what I know about it,” Matiang’i said. “Throwing stones for political convenience won’t help. We need accountability.”