Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has sparked national debate after publicly instructing police officers to use their firearms to protect themselves and defend police stations from attacks, stating that it is “an order from above.”
Speaking on Thursday following the deadly June 25 protests, Murkomen told officers their guns were not “decorations” and should be used when lives or state institutions are under threat.
“You should only run when you see that even if you were to kill five or six, the rest will still overpower you,” Murkomen declared in a fiery statement.
He praised the police for their actions during the mass protests, which were largely organized by Gen Z demonstrators across the country to oppose the Finance Bill 2024. Despite widespread reports of deaths and injuries, Murkomen denied any police misconduct.
“Our security agencies exercised remarkable restraint amid extreme provocation,” he stated. “There were no police excesses.”
At the same time, he acknowledged that more than 10 deaths were recorded, though he suggested that some of those who died had been involved in looting and criminal activity.
Murkomen sensationally claimed that the protests were not genuine civic expressions but rather “a premeditated, funded, and politically motivated coup attempt.” He alleged that demonstrators attempted to seize police uniforms and access gun armouries.
“What unfolded yesterday was not a protest. It was terrorism disguised as dissent… an orchestrated campaign of terror,” Murkomen said.
He described scenes of chaos along Kiambu and Thika roads, where he claimed protestors were chanting slogans such as “occupy State House” and “it is time to take over power.”
Despite video evidence and eyewitness accounts suggesting otherwise, Murkomen insisted that no police officer acted with undue force and vowed legal and institutional protection for officers involved.
“All the police officers who did a good job yesterday, you have my support — even if you need a lawyer,” he said. “They don’t carry guns as toys.”
Murkomen’s remarks have drawn criticism from civil society groups and human rights activists.
