Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has directed Inspector General Douglas Kanja to swiftly arrest goons allegedly linked to opposition leaders. He issued the order at the burial of Mitchelle Jelimo Kemboi in Nakuru County. Murkomen accused the opposition of hiring thugs to disrupt public events and undermine order.
At the burial of Mitchelle Jelimo Kemboi, daughter of KPA boss William Ruto, held at Mangu Farm in Nakuru County on Friday, Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen warned against a growing culture of intimidation targeting government officials, including Principal Secretary Raymond Omollo.
He claimed intelligence reports show opposition leaders routinely travel with hired goons to manage their events and disrupt law and order. “I saw some of the opposition leaders linking my PS to goons. I want to dare them to come out and denounce the goons they are walking and working with. I want to ask the Inspector General to move with speed and arrest all those boys they work with so that they can become an example,” Murkomen said.
“Some of the leading people in recruiting goons are sitting in the opposition despite coming to pontificate to the public. That is why they are shifting the blame to the public. We will do our jobs without fear or favour and make sure that we get rid of goons from this country,” he added.
The directive follows a recent attack on Vihiga Senator Geoffrey Osotsi at a coffee house in Kisumu, where he sustained serious injuries and was airlifted to a Nairobi hospital. A Kisumu court ordered suspects linked to the attack to remain in custody for seven days for further investigations, including a forensic audit of CCTV footage.
Interior PS Raymond Omollo, who had been linked to the claims, condemned the attack on Osotsi. “For sure, what happened to Osotsi was unfortunate. Any leader who uses goons must be held accountable and face the full force of the law,” Omollo said.