Interior and National Administration Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has come out strongly in defence of the recently concluded Jukwaa la Usalama forums, emphasizing their value in promoting inclusive governance and real-time citizen engagement.
Speaking after completing a nationwide tour that covered all 47 counties, Murkomen dismissed critics who accused him of excessive travel, saying his outreach was aimed at understanding the realities faced by ordinary Kenyans and local administrators.
“Some people are upset simply because I travelled across the country. They were used to ministers sitting in Nairobi and waiting to be visited in their offices. I decided it’s better to go out there myself and hear directly from the people,” he stated.
Murkomen explained that the forums had given him first-hand insights into the challenges faced by citizens, security officers, and administrators at the grassroots. He said that relying on reports from Nairobi often masked the true picture on the ground.
“Our goal is to solve the problems that citizens face every day. Through Jukwaa la Usalama, I have heard so much directly from the people,” he added.
The CS also announced a new phase of the initiative that will extend the dialogues beyond the county level to all 290 constituencies, underscoring his commitment to deeper citizen participation.
“I have already toured all 47 counties, and now I plan to visit all 290 constituencies so that critics can see what real engagement looks like. You complained about 47 meetings, just wait for the 290,” he quipped.
Murkomen reaffirmed that the forums align with President William Ruto’s bottom-up economic transformation agenda, aimed at ensuring equitable development across all regions. He said structured, inclusive governance is key to addressing local security and development challenges effectively.
“If we want balanced development in every part of the country, leadership and implementation must be systematic,” Murkomen concluded.
