Gachagua claims new killer police squad being trained in Moyale, wants Murkomen sacked

The Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP) leader Rigathi Gachagua has accused Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen of turning the National Police Service (NPS) into a political tool under his leadership to unleash terror upon citizens perceived to be dissidents.

Speaking during an interview with KTN News on Wednesday night, Gachagua alleged that police officers he says were involved in violence during the recent Ol Kalou by-election had been redeployed instead of being sacked and prosecuted.

He went ahead to claim that CS Murkomen was instead overseeing the training of a rogue police unit in Moyale that he says will replace the Ol Kalou group, in a bid to target perceived enemies of State ahead of the 2027 General Election.

"Murkomen has transformed the National Police Service into a militia. As we speak, the police officers who have been attacking people are the same ones who attacked the church in Mwea. I took evidence to the Inspector General, including their photographs, names and videos. Instead of being prosecuted, they were promoted, given more responsibilities and more sophisticated weapons, and then deployed to Ol Kalou," he said.

"These officers have only been transferred because they were exposed. I am told that, as we speak, Murkomen has already built a new squad which has been taken to a training base in Moyale to take over what this group was doing."

The former Deputy President cited alleged deaths of two people during the Ol Kalou by-election violence and accused authorities of failing to account for their killings, instead transferring the officers accused of being responsible after they were identified.

"As we speak, two people are dead, yet there has not been a statement from the National Police Service about these deaths. Women have been raped. These people created mayhem. There were four platoons of GSU, four platoons of ASTU and about 1,000 uniformed police officers, but they were helpless because this criminal gang had been sent there by Murkomen to cause mayhem," he claimed.

"The photographs are there. The videos are there. Now that they have been exposed, instead of being arrested and prosecuted, they have been transferred."

Gachagua thus called for Murkomen's removal from office, arguing that dismissing the Interior CS was the only way to restore public confidence in the police service.

He dismissed calls by the Interior ministry for members of the public to submit information on rogue officers, maintaining that authorities already knew those responsible.

"Kenya's problem is not goons; it is rogue police officers operating under CS Kipchumba Murkomen. The way to stop this lawlessness is to sack Murkomen because he is the one in charge," he said.

"These police officers are known. The CS is asking people to provide more information, but he should be helping to arrest them. Instead, as the DCI has confirmed, they have simply been transferred. You are only transferring the problem."

The former DP warned that unless the alleged misuse of security agencies was addressed before the next General Election, the country risked instability.

"What we saw in Ol Kalou is only the beginning. We have not seen the last of it. From where I sit, if Kipchumba Murkomen remains the Cabinet Secretary for Interior as we head towards the election, there will be civil war in this country. There will be anarchy," he claimed.

CS Murkomen and the National Police Service have previously maintained that security agencies operate independently and within the law, and have repeatedly denied allegations of political interference in policing.