CS Murkomen: “Let’s not trivialize abductions”

Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has cautioned against the misuse of abduction claims for political or personal gain.

The CS warned that such actions undermine the credibility of genuine victims and strain national security resources.

“We have increasing cases of fake kidnappings and abductions. These self-abductions and self-kidnappings, make nonsense of the serious subject that we are dealing with – abductions,” charged Murkomen stated.

Speaking during a meeting with Members of Parliament, Murkomen reiterated that abductions are a serious criminal matter, and any attempt to stage or fabricate them is not only reckless but potentially unlawful.

“We need a comprehensive legal framework that will punish those who exploit these situations for their own selfish interests, thereby misusing security resources that are essential for ensuring the safety of Kenyans,” he said.

He noted a surge of unfounded claims regarding abductions in recent months, pointing out that besides clout chasing, such actions send the wrong signals. He explained that the issue has reached a point where it is affecting personal relationships, yet the motives behind these actions, in most cases, remain unclear.

“Last year December, there was a gentleman called Nobert Mulwa. He staged an abduction. He was finally found to be hiding in Kitengela and extorting money from the sister. He was taking pictures having tied himself and sending them to family because he wanted money,” he said.

“We have had instances where spouses’ fake abductions just to run away from their loved ones for different reasons. This is not a laughing matter. This is a serious global issue,” remarked Murkomen.

His comments come amid controversy surrounding a Member of Parliament who allegedly faked his own abduction, prompting public concern and a swift investigation by law enforcement agencies.

“This has escalated to a level where a Member of Parliament is abducting himself. This is serious because an MP is a person who occupies a high office. When an MP participates in such a comical act of self-abduction, it creates despondency among the populations and diminishes the seriousness of actual abductions,” he stated.

“Someone writes a script, abducts themselves, and then come and stupefy the entire police service and say there is a squad attacking and arresting people only for the same script end up with a very enjoyable night for the MP throughout the night,” the CS explained.

The Interior CS stated that while the government remains committed to protecting every Kenyan from threats to their safety, it will not hesitate to take legal action against individuals found to have manufactured security threats.

“President Ruto William has kept his word that extra-judicial killings and violation of the law shall be a thing of the past. And because this is not happening, people are doing it on themselves. MPs must help us have a proper legal framework that will enable us to punish such cases,” he said while urging Members of Parliament to strengthen the legal framework concerning enforced disappearances.

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