Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has been officially summoned by the National Assembly to appear before Parliament next Wednesday, June 25. This comes amid growing pressure from lawmakers following the mysterious death of blogger Albert Ojwang.
The directive was issued by National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula during a heated session on Wednesday, June 18. The session focused heavily on police behaviour and accountability in the wake of recent disturbing incidents involving law enforcement.
Three Members of Parliament—Eve Obara (Kabondo Kasipul), Gitonga Mukunji (Manyatta), and Otiende Amollo (Rarieda)—strongly criticised Murkomen, accusing him of not taking enough steps to hold senior security officials accountable for the growing concerns over misconduct.
Responding to the demands, Speaker Wetang’ula ordered Murkomen to appear before the House for a detailed questioning. “I direct that the Cabinet Secretary in charge of Internal Security appear before this House on Wednesday afternoon so that all questions raised can be addressed directly to him,” said Wetang’ula.
“This House must strongly express its position on matters we disapprove of, especially regarding the actions of officers who are expected to protect our people,” he added.
During the session, Rarieda MP Otiende Amollo sharply criticised the police, referring to incidents from the past week that he believes highlight a desperate need for deep reforms within the police service.
“I believe asking the CS to provide better answers is unrealistic because he’s depending on the same officers who are claiming that Ojwang took his own life,” Amollo argued.
He went further to propose the creation of an ad hoc parliamentary committee. This committee, he suggested, would conduct an independent investigation into the blogger’s death and would be dissolved once it completes its mission.
However, Speaker Wetang’ula rejected the idea, stating that forming such a committee would require a formal motion and would delay the opportunity for immediate questioning of the Interior CS.
Since the news of Ojwang’s death broke, CS Murkomen has faced intense calls to clean up the police force and bring back public trust.
In response, he announced several reforms aimed at improving transparency and accountability. One of the key steps includes a directive requiring every police station in Kenya to install CCTV cameras.
He also ordered that any incident involving assault or misconduct inside a police station must be reported within one hour. The footage from the newly installed CCTV systems is expected to play a major role in verifying these reports.
In addition to these actions, Murkomen unveiled a new plan focused on improving the relationship between police and communities.
The strategy includes regular independent audits of police operations to measure their performance and identify areas for improvement. Officers and stations that show outstanding service will be recognised and rewarded publicly.
Despite these reforms, the police came under fresh criticism after a disturbing video surfaced on Tuesday, June 17, showing an officer shooting a hawker at close range during public protests.
Murkomen has not yet made a public statement about this latest incident, but the National Police Service has confirmed the identities of the two officers involved.
Meanwhile, investigations into Albert Ojwang’s death are still ongoing, and many questions remain unanswered. The uncertainty surrounding the case has added urgency to lawmakers’ demands for action.
On Wednesday, a new development emerged in court. Trial Magistrate Benmark Ekhubi ordered that Central Police Station OCS Samson Talaam be held in custody for 15 days to allow for thorough investigations.
This came after the prosecution and the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) applied for 21 days, citing the complex nature of the investigation.
The coming week is expected to be tense as the country awaits Murkomen’s appearance in Parliament, where he will be required to explain the government’s handling of security matters and the progress of investigations into Ojwang’s death.
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