Murkomen: No leniency for ex-security officers engaged in lawlessness

Interior and National Administration Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has cautioned former police and military officers not to misuse their privileged status and specialized training to jeopardise public safety or disrupt public order, stating that the government will not tolerate such actions.

Speaking in Laikipia during the ongoing Jukwaa la Usalama tour, following the arrests of former prisons officer Jackson Kuria Kihara, alias Cop Shakur, and former KDF officer Patrick Nyambaka Osoi, Murkomen announced that ex-officers involved in acts of lawlessness will face strict surveillance and the full force of the law.

“All police and military officers who are out of service have greater responsibility than civilians. We shall place them under strict surveillance because they are persons who are highly trained by the Government of Kenya in the use of firearms,” he stated.

The CS condemned what he described as a disturbing trend of rogue ex-officers aligning with emerging militia-like movements and issuing threats under the guise of political activism.

“Once ex-officers start threatening the public and the government, we consider that to be criminal activity. I am glad that the DCI has investigated, arrested, and charged some of them. They must be dealt with,” he said

Murkomen called out individuals using freedom of expression to incite fear, citing reported increase in cases of armed displays, inflammatory online content, and organized public disorder.

“What we are witnessing in parts of the country is deeply disturbing and wholly unacceptable—masquerading as freedom of expression. Individuals brazenly brandishing sophisticated weapons, issuing threats online, and behaving like an organized militia is not free speech. That is lawlessness,” he said.

The CS warned that no amount of legal or political manoeuvring would shield such actors from accountability, stressing that the state would not tolerate the militarization of political activities.

Murkomen reminded the judiciary of its vital role in national security.

“Let me be clear: I am not threatening the judiciary. I am simply stating the facts as they are,” he noted. “When criminals—especially those involved in terrorism, organized crime, and armed violence, are apprehended, the courts must act decisively.”

He lauded Kenya’s security officers for their continued vigilance in protecting the country from threats such as Al-Shabaab, even when the threat appears to be silent.

“We continue to fight a vicious enemy. Just because you don’t hear about it doesn’t mean the Al-Shabaab challenge has stopped. Our gallant officers have done a fantastic job of securing our borders and foiling their attacks,” he said.

Murkomen is expected to continue engaging local communities and law enforcement officers across Laikipia and Kajiado counties as part of his nationwide Jukwaa la Usalama initiative