Kenya has registered a modest decline in reported crime over the past six months, but security agencies are still grappling with stubborn offences and emerging threats in several regions, Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has said.
Appearing before the National Assembly Committee on Administration and Internal Security on Tuesday, Murkomen outlined that total reported cases dropped to 48,545 between September 2025 and February 2026, compared to 49,325 recorded earlier.
He told the committee that the difference reflected “a decrease of 780 cases… 1.6% on the crime analysis during the period under review.”
The CS explained that although the general trend points downward, everyday offences continue to take up a large share of police reports. Cases grouped under offences against persons, such as assault, causing disturbance and affray, formed the highest portion at 25 percent.
Other Penal Code offences followed at 17 percent, while stealing accounted for 16 percent with 7,829 reported cases. Drug-related crimes stood at 3,851 cases, making up 7 percent of the total.
Sexual offences also featured prominently in the data.
“Offences against morality were 7%… including defilement and such other offences otherwise known as sexual offences,” he said, noting that 3,478 cases were recorded under the Sexual Offences Act.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen and other security officials while appearing before the National Assembly Committee on Administration and Internal Security on April 21, 2026.PHOTO/MINA
Murkomen told lawmakers that several categories posted a decline during the review period. Homicide cases dropped from 1,509 to 1,413, while offences against morality reduced from 3,738 to 3,440.
However, traffic-related violations moved in the opposite direction, with the CS warning that they were the only category to register an increase.
He further briefed the committee on areas that remain prone to crime, cutting across towns and remote regions. Among those listed were Nakuru town, Narok and Angata Barikoi, as well as Kitengela and Isinya in Kajiado County.
In the North Rift, Maralal and Baragoi in Samburu, along with parts of West Pokot near the Turkana border, were highlighted. Other areas flagged include sections of Nairobi, parts of Machakos such as Joska and Mlolongo, and Busia town.
Murkomen added that informal settlements in major towns have increasingly become centres of criminal activity, hosting different types of offences.
To counter rising cases of robbery and muggings, the government has rolled out enhanced security measures in the affected zones.
These include “increased police presence in identified hotspot areas and deployment of standby response teams to attend to distress calls,” he said.
The CS noted that police have stepped up both foot and vehicle patrols to boost visibility, while undercover officers and intelligence-based operations are being used to track criminal networks.
Support units such as the Crime Research and Intelligence Bureau and the Crime Scene Investigation Unit are assisting in solving cases, including tracing stolen gadgets and analysing evidence.
Murkomen said the use of technology is also expanding, with systems for command and communication, police radio networks, and toll-free reporting lines under the Directorate of Criminal Investigations playing a key role.
Community policing, including the Nyumba Kumi initiative, is being strengthened to improve the flow of information between residents and security officers.
He further told the committee that periodic transfers of officers and changes in command have contributed to improved security in urban areas.
“From time to time when these changes are done, it has helped to reduce the incidence of crime in Nairobi… we made great progress from what we saw around that period in the streets,” he said.
The CS pointed to operations at the Coast, where organised gangs such as the “panga boys” have been dismantled.
In the North Rift, particularly in Baringo and West Pokot, security teams have also made gains against banditry, including recovering stolen livestock.
Still, he said challenges persist in the Isiolo, Samburu and Meru triangle, where bandit attacks continue despite ongoing operations.
“An operation is ongoing… and great progress has been made,” he said, adding that illegal firearms remain a major concern that requires sustained action.
Murkomen said reforms within the National Police Service are ongoing, focusing on better service delivery, accountability, and professionalism. The changes, he added, are aimed at building “a more effective and trusted service” that can deal with evolving threats, including those linked to technology.