Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has sparked widespread controversy by issuing a shoot-to-kill order, directing police officers to use lethal force against individuals attempting to storm or threaten police stations.
The directive, announced during a press conference in Nairobi on Thursday, 26 June 2025, comes in the wake of violent protests that rocked the country on 25 June, marking the anniversary of the 2024 anti-government demonstrations that claimed lives.
Murkomen’s order follows a wave of unrest during the Gen Z-led memorial protests, which he described as a well-planned and unconstitutional attempt at regime change. Speaking to the press after assessing damage in Nairobi’s Central Business District, the Interior CS claimed the protests were orchestrated by hired criminals targeting key government installations, including police stations, State House, and Parliament.
He reported that nine police stations were attacked, five of which were torched, including those in Dagoretti, Molo, and Ol Kalou.
Additionally, five firearms were stolen from Dagoretti Police Post, and 88 police vehicles were destroyed nationwide. These included 27 national and county government vehicles and 65 civilian vehicles parked in various police stations, among them a school bus.
“If someone tries to come to the police station to take guns or to attack you, they want to take your life—save yourself first. That other story about ‘what did you do’ we’ll deal with later, and I will be at the forefront to defend you,” Murkomen stated, emphasising that police must protect themselves and critical infrastructure.
Doubling down on his stance, he affirmed that the government would fully back law enforcement and that officers would not face individual responsibility for using lethal force in self-defence. “The police were not given guns for decoration,” he added—a remark that has ignited public outcry.
Murkomen went further, asserting that the directive was not exclusively his but had been sanctioned “from above,” exacerbating concerns that the order had the full support of the highest levels of government.
The directive has drawn sharp criticism from various quarters. Saboti Member of Parliament Caleb Amisi condemned the order, calling it a dangerous escalation of state repression amid growing public dissent.
“Murkomen, as a friend for many years, this is utterly wrong as a minister. Nobody has the authority to order the killing of a countryman. Arrest and let us blame the judiciary,” Amisi said.
Nelson Havi, an advocate and the 49th president of the Law Society of Kenya, argued via a post on X, saying: “I have not seen any single picture or video of police officers preventing the looting of shops or even shooting a looter. However, I have seen many pictures and videos of police officers beating up and shooting unarmed peaceful protestors. Let Kipchumba Murkomen not fool around.”
The 25 June protests, which Murkomen described as acts of terrorism disguised as dissent, resulted in significant casualties and destruction. According to the Interior CS, at least 10 people were killed, 400 civilians and 300 police officers were injured, and property worth billions of shillings was destroyed, including supermarkets, electronic shops, and restaurants.
Amnesty International, however, reported a higher death toll of at least 16, including a security guard shot at Kenya Power’s Stima Plaza headquarters.
Murkomen’s remarks come amid heightened tensions following an incident in Ndunyu Njeru, Nyandarua County, where residents set a police station ablaze on 26 June after an officer allegedly shot a villager dead.
Also, the Interior CS accused media outlets of fuelling the protests by providing tactical support through inflammatory coverage, warning that the government could shut down outlets deemed a threat to national stability. He further criticised foreign journalists, including CNN’s Larry Madowo, for what he called negative reporting on the unrest.
As investigations into the protests and their financiers continue, Murkomen’s shoot-to-kill order has intensified debates over police conduct, state power, and the right to protest in Kenya.
Critics argue that the directive risks further eroding public trust in law enforcement, while supporters maintain it is necessary to restore order in the face of escalating violence.
The government has not allocated any budget to compensate victims of the 25 June protests, according to Murkomen, who cited the extensive damage caused by looters and arsonists.
– By Jeremiah Richu
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