Interior CS Kipchumba Murkomen has found himself in unfamiliar territory receiving missiles from every corner with city lawyer Willis Otieno joining the bandwagon of critics condemning his shoot to kill directive. What began as a political show of force is now spiraling into a national debate on justice power and accountability.
Otieno known for his sharp legal mind did not mince words. In a searing post on Saturday June 28 he called out Murkomen for abandoning the Constitution he once defended and for turning police officers into tools of political violence. Once a respected legal scholar Murkomen is now being painted as a man intoxicated by power Otieno wrote.
He accused the CS of parading as a high priest of infrastructure while tearing down the very law he once taught.
This was not just a personal jab. Otieno’s warning to police officers was clear. If you follow illegal orders from politicians drunk on power you will stand alone when justice comes knocking.
Interior CS Kipchumba Murkomen addeesses the media in Nairobi. Photo: The Star Source: X
The cameras will not show Murkomen’s face they will show yours. His message was as urgent as it was chilling reminding officers that history is unforgiving to those who choose tyranny over the law.
Murkomen’s shoot to kill order was issued after the June 25 Gen Z memorial protests. Speaking in Kiambu he claimed individuals were mocking officers after arrest and release and declared that anyone who approaches a police station with ill intent should be shot. His words which he seemed to speak with ease have sparked horror among rights groups and Kenyans across the political divide.
Safina Deputy Party Leader and Lawyer Willis Evans Otieno
Critics argue that Murkomen’s comments signal a dangerous shift from rule of law to rule by fear. In Otieno’s view the CS has become a cautionary tale of what happens when ego replaces empathy and titles silence truth.
As the backlash grows one thing is becoming clear. Murkomen is no longer speaking from a position of moral clarity but from a place of political panic. And in this unfamiliar territory the law remains the one thing still willing to fight back.