Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has warned against attempts to mobilise young people into militias under the guise of protecting votes ahead of the 2027 General Election, saying the government will not tolerate the formation of parallel security groups.
Speaking during the launch of the internationally accredited Forensic Evidence Management Unit and the Multi-Biometric Identification System (MBIS) Version 5 at the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) headquarters in Nairobi, Murkomen accused former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua of encouraging the formation of illegal groups through his recent public remarks.
The Interior CS claimed that some politicians had previously exploited criminal gangs during the 2024 anti-government protests, arguing that the issue had been politicised.
"When the protests happened, we know very well that some politicians, including the impeached deputy president, utilised those goons to cause violence, including the invasion of Parliament, attacks on people and destruction of businesses," Murkomen said.
He added that more than 3,000 suspects linked to the 2024 and 2025 unrest had been arrested, but many were later released by the courts on low cash bail or personal bonds.
Murkomen also criticised religious leaders whom he said had previously defended some of those arrested, but welcomed what he described as a change in their position.
"I'm happy that the bishops have turned around. They now want goons to be dealt with, and I'm happy that you are no longer defending them as your children," he said.
The Cabinet Secretary urged police officers to intensify the crackdown on criminal gangs, saying they now had public backing to act decisively.
"Deal with these groups ruthlessly, because now we have public support from all quarters," he said, adding that criminal gangs had already been dismantled in several parts of the country through sustained police operations.
Murkomen further accused Gachagua of attempting to encourage the formation of parallel security groups by urging young people to "protect the vote."
"What he is trying to do is to recruit militias, so that we will have a parallel system of militias that are perpetually protecting the vote," he said. "The truth is that he wants to use criminals to attack people who do not stand on his political side."
He warned young people against joining such groups, saying they would face the full force of the law.
"I want to tell young people who are going to be recruited in that direction: do not attempt. It will be very difficult for you to run in Kenya as a militia trying to pretend to be a vote protector. We will come for you, and we will come for you ruthlessly," Murkomen said.
The CS also cautioned against attempts to introduce ethnic politics into the National Police Service, insisting that the police remain a national institution whose officers serve all Kenyans regardless of their backgrounds.
He said profiling the Inspector General or other officers along ethnic lines undermines professionalism and should not be tolerated.