CS Murkomen Directs Police To Shoot Individuals Attacking Police Stations Or Officers

Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has issued a new directive to police officers, authorizing them to use lethal force against individuals who pose a direct threat to officers or attack police stations. The order comes amidst growing concerns over rising lawlessness and recent incidents targeting law enforcement facilities.

Addressing security personnel on Thursday, CS Murkomen expressed frustration over what he described as police leniency, which he believes has contributed to an increase in criminals storming police stations and stealing firearms.

“Tumeambia polisi, mtu yeyote ambaye atakaribia police station, piga yeye risasi (We have directed the police that anyone who dares approach a police station with criminal intent, shoot them),” Murkomen stated emphatically.

The CS also voiced his discontent with a judicial system that, according to him, has allowed repeat offenders to be released on lenient bond terms, only for them to return and challenge law enforcement. “They get released on small bond, return to fight police, and even mock them. This must come to an end,” he asserted.

Murkomen’s initial remarks immediately sparked concerns among listeners, who questioned whether the directive applied to anyone approaching a police station, including those seeking assistance or reporting cases. In a swift clarification, the CS clarified that the shoot-to-kill order was exclusively aimed at “thugs who attack police stations and steal guns from there.”

“Those looking for help, shelter, and reporting cases are okay, but people who come to snatch guns from the police, those who attack police and think that guns are toys must be stopped,” Murkomen clarified to a charged crowd.

He argued that current trends are emboldening criminals, leading to increased violence against officers and repeated attacks on police stations. According to Murkomen, the government can no longer permit police officers to be “sitting targets.”

The directive is issued at a time when police and police stations have indeed become frequent targets. During the June 25 commemorative protests on Wednesday, the Interior Ministry reported that 300 police officers were attacked and injured. Police stations were also looted and burned during these demonstrations. In a recent incident on Thursday, a police station in Ndunyu, Nyandarua county, was reportedly torched by angry residents after a police officer allegedly shot a villager. Murkomen emphasized that such incidents cannot be allowed to continue unchecked.