Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen and Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja were placed under oath on Tuesday before facing questions from senators during a high-stakes session.
The move came following a formal request by Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna and his Homa Bay counterpart Moses Kajwang, as the Senate convened as a committee of the whole to probe issues surrounding death of Albert Ojwang' in police custody.
"Mr Speaker, understanding that we are sitting as a committee of the whole House, I kindly request that before any of the gentlemen appearing before us speak, even state their names, they be placed under oath," Sifuna said.
Also placed under oath were the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) chief Mohamed Amin, the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) Vice Chairperson Ann Mwangi, and National Police Service Commission (NPSC) Acting Chairperson Edwin Cheluget, who accompanied the top security officials.
Senator Kajwang echoed the call, stressing the importance of formal procedure to ensure accountability.
“If we go the Kamukunji way, we’ll only get political statements. We will be told people hit their heads on walls, and there will be no consequences,” he said.
He urged the Speaker to enforce the oath-taking to reassure citizens, especially the people of Homa Bay and the family of the late Ojwang, whose death is at the center of the inquiry.
Kajwang explained that giving testimony under oath would subject the witnesses to potential penalties for perjury or contempt, ensuring more truthful accounts.
Speaker Amason Kingi approved the request, calling the concerns "valid" and reaffirming the House’s commitment to uncovering the truth.
“We are here to get nothing but the truth, and the only way to ensure that is by having all statements made under oath,” Kingi ruled.
