Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen/COURTESY
Residents from the Kerio Valley region have come out in strong defense of Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen, saying his controversial shoot-to-kill directive was taken out of context.
This, he said, includes attacks on police stations and attempts to steal firearms.
“The Constitution allows for the use of force in self-defence, including lethal force, as long as it is reasonable and proportionate to the threat faced,” Minanyang said.
“The right to life extends to police officers, too.”
He faulted critics, including human rights groups, church leaders, and the Law Society of Kenya (LSK), for misrepresenting the CS’s remarks while overlooking the violence and destruction that erupted during recent Gen Z-led protests."
“Murkomen termed the protests an attempted coup, and rightly so. In places like Kikuyu and Ol Kalou, protesters turned violent, looted, and set ablaze law courts and police stations,” he added.
He noted that some suspects died after being trapped in the burning buildings.
Minanyang emphasised that Murkomen’s position was anchored in law, specifically the Sixth Schedule of the National Police Service Act, which outlines the lawful use of firearms to protect life, property, or for self-defence.
“It is disingenuous for critics to accuse the CS of sanctioning extrajudicial killings when his remarks were a legal interpretation of police conduct in extreme situations,” said Minanyang.
The youths urged Kenyans to separate lawful police defence from abuse of power, saying Murkomen’s efforts were helping restore peace and stability in the volatile Kerio Valley.
“His understanding of our challenges is already bearing fruit. We believe normalcy will fully return,” Minanyang concluded.
