Murkomen links rising insecurity to political mobilisation of youth gangs

Interior and National Administration Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has sounded a warning over what he says is an increasing link between political activity and insecurity, citing the involvement of young people in organised violence and unrest across the country.

The CS said the trend is posing a serious challenge to national stability, arguing that some political actors are taking advantage of vulnerable youth to fuel chaos and disrupt public order.

He made the remarks on Wednesday during an assessment tour of the National Police College Embakasi ‘A’ and Embakasi ‘B’ campuses, where he reviewed the progress of recruit training and professional development programmes for serving officers under the National Police Service.

Murkomen said the situation has reached worrying levels, with incidents of organised groups allegedly linked to political interests becoming more visible during demonstrations.

“The emergence of political goons and gangs is a national security threat. Picketing has also been used by politicians to cause chaos, instead of people registering their dissent without destruction,” said the CS.

He added that the continued involvement of young people in violence is not only dangerous but also weakening efforts to maintain peace and order in the country.

“Unfortunately, politicians are the greatest threat to security now. They recruit young people as goons and gangs, and this has been getting worse over the years,” faulted the CS.

The CS further pointed to a pattern where protests have, in some cases, turned violent and escalated into attacks on key government installations.

“The pattern is worrying for the nation where attackers target security installations like the police stations and Parliament,” said the CS.

Murkomen said the National Police Service is responding by improving training programmes aimed at strengthening officers’ ability to manage public order situations and respond to emerging threats.

“The NPS is retooling and reskilling officers to ensure we give Kenyans the best, including crowd control and management capabilities, “ he added.

He expressed confidence in the ongoing reforms in police training institutions, saying the curriculum has been designed to prepare officers for their responsibilities in safeguarding lives and property.

"The training our police recruits undergo has been carefully designed to equip them with the necessary knowledge, skills and mindset to safeguard peace and protect lives and property."

On accountability, Murkomen said he had directed investigations into a protest incident in Embu County where violence led to loss of life, insisting that those responsible will be held to account.

He welcomed the decision by Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja to send senior investigators from headquarters to handle the probe, while warning that misconduct within the service will not be tolerated.

“I am happy that the IG, Douglas Kanja, has sent top investigators from the headquarters to probe the matter," said the CS, cautioning that police brutality will not be tolerated.

Murkomen said reforms are also targeting training institutions across the country to ensure officers have continuous access to professional development and improved operational readiness.

"We are revamping regional colleges and centres of excellence to ensure our officers can access regular training with ease,” he said.