Youth leaders from the volatile Kerio Valley region have rallied behind Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen, defending his recent ‘shoot-to-kill’ directive which sparked widespread criticism across the country. Speaking on behalf of the Pokot-Turkana-Marakwet (POTUMA) Youth Association, chairman Kimaiya Minanyang said the directive was misinterpreted and taken out of context.
Minanyang clarified that Murkomen’s remarks were specifically targeted at situations where police officers face imminent danger, such as attacks on police stations or attempts to steal firearms. “The Constitution allows for the use of force in self-defence, including lethal force, as long as it is reasonable and proportionate to the threat faced,” he stated. “The right to life extends to police officers, too.”
The youth leader criticised human rights groups, church leaders, and the Law Society of Kenya (LSK) for condemning the CS without acknowledging the rising violence during recent Gen Z-led anti-government protests. “Murkomen termed the protests an attempted coup, and rightly so,” said Minanyang. “In places like Kikuyu and Ol Kalou, protesters turned violent, looted, and burned down police stations and law courts.”
He pointed out that some of the protestors died after being trapped in the buildings they had set on fire, suggesting that the tragedy was a result of lawlessness, not state-sanctioned brutality. He also invoked the Sixth Schedule of the National Police Service Act, which authorises officers to use firearms to protect life, property, or themselves in extreme circumstances.
“It is disingenuous for critics to accuse the CS of sanctioning extrajudicial killings when his remarks were a legal interpretation of police conduct in extreme situations,” he added.
The POTUMA youth further praised Murkomen’s efforts to restore peace in the troubled Kerio Valley, stating that his leadership is already showing positive results. “His understanding of our challenges is already bearing fruit. We believe normalcy will fully return,” Minanyang concluded.
The youth have called on Kenyans to differentiate between lawful defence and abuse of power, urging a more balanced national conversation on police action in times of crisis.
