Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has sharply criticised the reception held for former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA), branding the event a needless spectacle with no political or public relations value.
Speaking on Friday during the Jukwaa la Usalama forum in Kirinyaga County, Murkomen expressed disappointment over what he termed as “political games” being played at one of the country’s most secure installations.
“I was very saddened that political activists were going to play games in our airport. The airport is a protected area. It’s not a place to play the kind of politics that we saw,” Murkomen said.
Gachagua’s return drew large crowds of supporters and political allies who thronged the airport, chanting slogans and waving banners. The unusual activity disrupted normal operations and, according to Murkomen, posed a security risk.
“We saw people entering the airport with a lot of razzmatazz for pure zero political, economic value, and zero PR. For it to be done inside the airport is totally unacceptable,” he remarked.
The CS faulted organisers of the event for failing to notify security agencies in advance, leaving police officers on standby without clear information on the scale or route of the planned activities.
“Sometimes, because we are not informed about the magnitude of the plans of political actors, the police are just on standby to see if there is any problem. Like yesterday, police were just on standby because there was no clear notification on what was going to happen and what routes,” he explained.
Murkomen stressed that while political leaders are entitled to be welcomed by their supporters, such gatherings must be properly coordinated to ensure order and compliance with security guidelines.
“If the team was intended to do good for our country, they would have worked with the police. They would say, ‘We are welcoming our visitor, can you give us a designated area?’ Everything would have been fine,” he said.
The CS warned that turning sensitive installations like airports into political arenas undermines security. He reiterated that government agencies remain committed to facilitating political events, provided organisers follow the law and give adequate notice.
