By John Mutiso
Interior Cabinet Secretary (CS) Kipchumba Murkomen says the government is committed to tackling goons across the country, “without fear, favour and indiscriminately.”
Speaking during the chiefs and assistant chiefs’ graduation at the National Police College, Embakasi ‘A’ Campus in Nairobi on Monday, CS Murkomen emphasised that recent incidents of politically instigated violence witnessed in Nairobi will not be tolerated.
“There is a phenomenon that has grown in the country, that is perpetuated by political leaders who mobilise goons to cheer for them, they carry rungus, and machetes. What happened here in Nairobi cannot be condoned. Those responsible shall be dealt with and face the law,” CS Murkomen said.
“This must be done without fear, favour, and indiscriminately.”
The CS added that chiefs across the country have increasingly struggled to manage public events, including funerals, due to the rise of hired goons.
“We have discussed with the IG that the next most important issues to deal with in the next few months are to make sure that we deal with the issue of goons across the country,” he added.
He noted that many of the officers graduating have served for decades, with some for over 28 years, without receiving formal training since 1997.
“Chiefs are multipurpose officers to the government. They assist in farmer registration, support health promotion, and handle conflict cases in their communities. They are the most trusted public servants in the country,” Murkomen said.
The training program, which has seen 5,892 chiefs and assistant chiefs trained since August, focused on induction, paralegal support skills, governance, human rights, conflict resolution and negotiations, community engagement and security management.
It also addressed key national threats such as gender-based violence (GBV), sexual offences, drug and alcohol abuse among youth, and security threats such as banditry and terrorism.
CS Murkomen described the officers as frontline heroes, noting that some have been abducted or killed while performing their duties.
“They are the heroes, always at the front line,” Murkomen stated.
He further highlighted their key role in fighting against GBV and protecting vulnerable youth, as well as their collaboration with the National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (NACADA) in cracking down on drug and alcohol abuse.
President William Ruto presided over the ceremony, recognising the chiefs and assistant chiefs as key pillars in maintaining law and order and promoting peace within communities.
The government launched the first cohort of 1,000 officers drawn from the 47 counties on August 15, 2025, as part of an initiative to enhance capacity and strengthen service delivery to the public.
