Sunday, June 29, 2025 - Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has defended his controversial remarks urging police to shoot individuals who storm police stations, following a backlash from former Makueni Governor Prof. Kivutha Kibwana.
Kibwana, a former law lecturer, condemned Murkomen’s
statement as an endorsement of extrajudicial killings.
“Do you know that due to your shoot-live to murder command,
you will now and in the future be held accountable for every extrajudicial
extermination?” he posed, referencing their past teacher-student relationship
at the University of Nairobi Law School.
In response, Murkomen dismissed the accusation, asserting
that he merely restated legal provisions under the National Police Service Act.
“Where did I issue a 'shoot-live to murder command'? I only
reiterated what the law - formulated with your input - provides,” he said.
He cited Paragraph B (1) of the Act’s Sixth Schedule, which
permits use of firearms in life-threatening situations, including the
protection of life, property and self-defense.
Seeking to tone down tensions, Murkomen invited Kibwana for
a dialogue “over a cup of tea” to discuss differing interpretations of the law.
Amid public outcry, the CS later clarified his statement,
insisting that it was anchored in law.
“No one has challenged me on the legal basis. I spoke within
the confines of the Constitution and existing statutes,” he said.
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