Interior and National Administration Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has defended the role of the police in maintaining order, saying the friction between citizens and law enforcers is often triggered by political actors rather than the officers themselves.

Speaking during a media interview, Murkomen argued that police are unfairly blamed when violence erupts during political disputes.

He cited incidents where political competition over land or power escalated into chaos, forcing police to intervene.

“The relationship between the police and citizens is good until politicians create chaos in between. The real problem is political leaders must solve their differences peacefully and within the Constitution instead of overloading the police with unnecessary conflict,” Murkomen said.

He noted that police officers act on evidence when making arrests, dismissing claims that they target individuals based on partisan politics.

According to him, law enforcers only respond when crimes such as destruction of property, looting, or arson occur.

Turning to the issue of religious radicalization, Murkomen urged Kenyans to share responsibility for community security rather than leaving everything to the government.

Using the Shakahola tragedy as an example, he said religious extremism thrives when families, neighbors, and society fail to question suspicious behavior.

“Security is not only the responsibility of police officers. You cannot leave your door open and expect government to come lock it for you. Communities must also watch over one another,” he emphasized.

Murkomen revealed that despite the crackdown in Shakahola, some suspects continued mobilizing followers from prison, highlighting the complexity of tackling radical religious movements.

He stressed that addressing such threats requires a whole-of-society approach, with families, religious leaders, and communities playing an active role.

He also pointed to the Musyoka Taskforce report, which recommended stronger self-regulation within religious institutions to prevent abuse of faith for exploitation and extremism.

Murkomen noted that a bill is being drafted under the Interior Ministry to strengthen oversight while balancing freedom of worship.

The CS concluded by reiterating that security challenges, whether political violence or religious radicalization, cannot be solved by police alone, but through shared civic responsibility.