Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has strongly defended police officers over the deaths that occurred during recent anti-government protests, stating that he will not shy away from standing by the Inspector General and the entire security team.
His remarks come at a time when the country is still mourning and searching for justice after young protesters were killed while demanding better living conditions. Instead of addressing the pain and trauma many families are going through, Murkomen chose to stand by the same people accused of serious crimes, showing complete disregard for the lives lost.
According to reports by Citizen, Murkomen spoke a day after activist and former presidential aspirant Dr. Reuben Kigame filed a petition at the High Court seeking leave to privately prosecute top security officials.
The petition named Murkomen, Inspector General Douglas Kanja, and DCI boss Mohamed Amin as among those responsible for what Kigame described as crimes against humanity during the Gen Z protests of 2024 and 2025.
Through Gitobu Imanyara & Company Advocates, Kigame accused these officials of unleashing a violent crackdown on peaceful demonstrators who were only demanding their rights.
The protests were about real issues high taxes, lack of jobs, and the unbearable cost of living but they were met with bullets, beatings, and tear gas.
Despite the weight of these accusations, Murkomen appeared unfazed. While on a tour in Kajiado County, he openly dismissed the critics and said the State acted within the law.
“I’m very confident. We have worked diligently and given another chance, we shall do it again. I know the Penal Code. I defend the IG and those mentioned. Those criticizing us have not spoken about the people who died during the anarchy. I teach the law, and we are going to stand firm. We will not be intimidated,” he said.
These words from a Cabinet Secretary, instead of comforting grieving families or promising investigations, sounded more like a threat.
They also showed no willingness to take accountability or even acknowledge that lives were lost.Murkomen also said the government would not allow destruction of public property during protests, as if the death of protesters is acceptable as long as buildings remain intact.
This kind of reasoning from a top government official is troubling. It shows that the regime places more value on infrastructure than human life.
He then shifted the focus to unrelated issues like colonial-era police stations, stalled housing projects, and border security clearly trying to move the attention away from the real concern, which is the brutality witnessed on the streets.
Even as he talked about improving security for upcoming football events and regional trade, he failed to address the mistrust Kenyans now feel toward law enforcement. The victims of the crackdown are not just statistics. They were sons, daughters, and siblings who believed they had the right to speak out.
Defending those responsible for killing them instead of promising justice is not leadership. It is a loud statement that this government is not interested in accountability.
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