Cabinet Secretary for Interior and National Government Administration Kipchumba Murkomen is set to appear before the National Assembly committee on Thursday, July 3, 2025.
Murkomen will be grilled by the committee chaired by Narok West MP Gabriel Tongoyo over the orders he gave to police officers to shoot on sight people who attempt to storm police stations.
While Murkomen has distanced himself from the remarks, three bodies have already dragged the CS to court over the orders.
Murkomen dragged to court
In the petition filed on Wednesday, July 2, 2025, the Katiba Institute, the Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC), and the Independent Medico-Legal Unit (IMLU) accuse Murkomen of incitement to violence, unethical conduct, and encouraging extrajudicial killings in violation of the Kenyan Constitution.
Additionally, the civil rights groups are demanding an immediate and public retraction of Murkomen’s statements and have asked the court to declare him unfit to hold public office.
“The CS should be held unequivocally responsible for any individuals who lose their lives or are injured from 26 June 2025 at the hands of any police officers, following his unlawful orders,” the organisations opine.
This comes amid public backlash on the orders, with a section of leaders urging police officers to ignore the directive by the Interior Cabinet Secretary.
Police urged to ignore
Speaking during an interview on Wednesday, July 2, 2025, Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei cautioned police officers against following any unconstitutional or illegal orders from their superiors, warning that if they unlawfully kill someone, they would face arrest, prosecution, and imprisonment.
“To the police officers, do not follow unconstitutional orders from your seniors. If you kill someone illegally, you will be arrested, prosecuted and jailed alone,” he said.
He also called on leaders to condemn those attacking police officers, even as they denounce incidents of police brutality.
“I want to urge my colleagues, as they call out the police on brutality, they must also condemn people who are injuring the police. A policewoman was almost killed in town; let us also be fair,” he added.
“I was the chair of the Justice and Legal Affairs Committee. In the last session, we were supposed to table a report on enforced disappearance, police brutality and extrajudicial killings. I agree that as a nation, it is not a civilised society where there is police brutality, the police should be a safe space for every Kenyan.”
