NAIROBI, Kenya, Mar 26 – Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei has launched a scathing attack on Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen accusing him of incompetence in handling the country’s security crises.
In a statement on Wednesday, Cherargei criticized Murkomen for failing to address the rising cases of banditry, terrorist attacks, and violent crimes across the country.
“What I saw two years ago about CS Murkomen’s incompetence can now be seen! At least incompetence in roads means it can be fixed later, but incompetence in internal security means lives are lost—and they cannot be recovered!” Cherargei stated referring to Murkomen’s previous role as CS for Roads.
The Senator further questioned why Head of Public Service Felix Koskei had to personally confront bandits in the North Rift over the weekend, implying that Murkomen had failed in his mandate.
“No wonder HOPS Koskei had to go and confront bandits in the North Rift over the weekend,” he added.
Cherargei contrasted Murkomen’s tenure with that of his predecessor, Deputy President Kithure Kindiki, whom he credited for containing insecurity in the volatile North Rift and North Eastern regions.
“During Kindiki’s tenure, there was significant containment of insecurity in the country. But under Murkomen’s tenure, machete gangs are marauding, terrorist attacks from Turkana and North Eastern Kenya are rising, and our villages are now insecure—including my Kapsabet Town, where a person was killed less than 200 meters from Kapsabet County Police Headquarters,” he said.
Banditry manace
Murkomen took over the Interior Ministry in December 2024, vowing to continue Kindiki’s efforts to secure the country.
However, his tenure has been marred by escalating violence. In the North Rift alone, more than thirty people have died in bandit attacks since the start of the year.
Currently, about 3,000 police officers and over 1,000 Kenya Defense Forces (KDF) soldiers are deployed in the North Rift to combat banditry, particularly in Samburu, Turkana, and Baringo counties.
The wave of terror gripping the country has also intensified, with suspected Al-Shabaab militants recently launching a deadly attack on a police camp in Garissa, killing six officers.
Meanwhile, administrative officers, including chiefs and National Police Reservists, have also become targets.
Five administrators remain missing following a series of attacks, raising further concerns over the deteriorating security situation.
The crisis has been compounded by allegations that some politicians and security officers have played a role in fueling insecurity, thereby undermining efforts to restore order in the country.
