Kipchumba Murkomen has issued a stern warning to corrupt police officers, particularly those in the traffic department, promising decisive action to protect the integrity of the National Police Service (NPS).
Speaking in response to a recent Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) report ranking the police as the most corrupt institution in Kenya, Murkomen stressed that poor working conditions or low pay cannot justify bribery or other unlawful conduct.
“Those who applied for this job understood that it comes with its hardship. They accepted the conditions, including deployment to operational areas,” Murkomen said, adding that the ministry will not tolerate individuals tarnishing the image of the NPS.
He dismissed the notion that meagre salaries drive officers to extort money from motorists or engage in other corrupt practices. “Little salary is not a licence to engage in corrupt activities like collecting bribes. It’s just the character of the specific officer, and we will not allow those few to damage the image of the service,” the CS stated.
Murkomen vowed that officers found guilty of corruption will face the full force of the law, signalling an end to what he termed as “business as usual” within the service. His remarks come amid growing public frustration over reported harassment by traffic police and persistent demands for bribes on Kenyan roads.
On the matter of reported abductions and missing persons, the CS assured the public that investigations are actively underway. “We are yet to establish the status of these matters. Investigations will reveal whether these people were abducted or they abducted themselves,” he said.
Murkomen emphasised that all reported cases have open inquiry files and that the government will act based on factual findings. “We will establish the facts and deal accordingly,” he assured.
The EACC report has intensified calls for reforms in the police service, with many Kenyans urging the government to address both systemic corruption and public trust deficits. Murkomen’s remarks suggest a readiness to confront the issue head-on, but the effectiveness of the promised crackdown will depend on follow-through and institutional accountability.
