Senator John Methu Links CS Murkomen to Ol Kalou By-Election Violence

Nyandarua Senator John Methu has launched a scathing attack on Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen, accusing him of fueling political violence and calling him “a recipe for chaos” ahead of the 2027 General Election.

Speaking during an interview on Citizen TV on Sunday, Methu alleged that the individuals who recently disrupted a church service in Witima, Nyeri County, were the same operatives responsible for the violence witnessed during the just-concluded Ol Kalou parliamentary by-election.

“The goons who attacked us in church in Witima, the very same people are some of those who came to Ol Kalou. Their faces are known. We have given their names to the Inspector General of Police. This is just a special school that he has outside the main National Police Service,” Methu claimed.

The senator further alleged that the group operates as a parallel political militia outside the National Police Service. He openly questioned how the Interior Ministry could guarantee national security while such units are allegedly allowed to operate.

“How therefore would you say that you are the Minister for Interior or Minister for our own internal security, and you are running a parallel militia that is meant to deal with other people politically?” he posed.

Methu maintained that there was no legitimate security threat in Ol Kalou to justify the chaos, insisting the disruption was entirely orchestrated for political gain. Despite the intimidation, the lawmaker declared that the opposition remains undeterred in its ultimate goal to vote out the current administration. “Once our people are determined to take William Ruto home, nothing will stop us from taking him home,” he asserted.

The remarks follow widespread chaos on Thursday, July 16, where several polling stations in Ol Kalou Constituency turned into flashpoints. Journalists were assaulted, media equipment was confiscated, and tear gas was deployed as voting entered its final hours.

Despite the violence, the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) completed the process, ultimately declaring Democratic Congress Party (DCP) candidate Sammy Kamau Ngotho the winner with 35,440 votes. While Methu criticized the IEBC’s handling of certain pre-election events, he praised the local election officials on the ground for delivering a credible tally under difficult circumstances.