Political tensions are mounting within Kenya Kwanza’s ranks as two outspoken lawmakers, Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei and Githunguri MP Gathoni Wamuchomba, have called for the resignation of Roads and Transport Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen, citing his alleged failure to address growing insecurity in the North Rift region.
The demand follows the tragic killing of Rev. Fr. Allois Cheruiyot Bett, a Catholic priest of St. Matthias Mulumba Tot Parish in Elgeyo Marakwet, a region long plagued by banditry and lawlessness. The murder has triggered outrage among residents and national leaders, who accuse the government of inaction.
Taking to social media, Senator Cherargei did not mince his words. “Transferring incompetence to the Ministry of Interior is dangerous because you lose lives,” he posted on X (formerly Twitter). “This minister should be called out; he is embarrassing all of us who are in government. In fact, Murkomen master should resign.”
Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei. PHOTO/COURTESY
Although Murkomen currently heads the Ministry of Roads and Transport, Cherargei’s remarks appear directed at his influence on internal security matters and his prior criticisms of insecurity under the Uhuru Kenyatta regime. Now that Murkomen is part of the current administration, Cherargei accused him of failing to act decisively. “Our people continue to be slaughtered like goats because he is just incorrigible, incompetent, and lazy,” he said.
The Senator further alleged that the National Police Service was misled into claiming Fr. Bett’s murder was unrelated to banditry, which he flatly denied. “We shall not allow him to malign the priest in death,” he asserted.
According to Cherargei, criminal gangs have roamed freely in the region for days, killing multiple civilians, while the state remains unresponsive.
MP Wamuchomba joined the chorus of condemnation, arguing that Murkomen “should just resign and join noise makers. He performed better there.” She also turned her fire on Health CS Aden Duale, criticizing his silence on the plight of underpaid healthcare workers. “He should keep quiet and only speak when health care workers are properly employed and remunerated,” she posted.
Githunguri MP Gathoni Wamuchomba. PHOTO/COURTESY
Wamuchomba described the killing of the Catholic priest as “heartbreaking,” warning that political tensions were on the rise. “The 1 T spirit is in the air,” she said, a cryptic reference that some interpret as a sign of emerging internal divisions within the ruling coalition.
The mounting criticism underscores growing discontent over the government’s handling of insecurity and social services in vulnerable regions. As pressure builds, all eyes will be on how President William Ruto’s administration responds to calls for accountability from within its own ranks.
Written By Rodney Mbua
