Cabinet Secretary for the Interior and National Administration, Kipchumba Murkomen, has come to the defense of Inspector General of Police (IG) Douglas Kanja regarding his attendance at President William Ruto’s rally in Nyeri.
Speaking during the Jukwaa La Usalama Nationwide tour in Mombasa County on April 7, 2025, the CS stated that the police IG was present at the rally like any other police officer.
“The role of police officers is to engage with individuals at the grassroots level. The IG has the authority to listen to the public and consider their opinions on national matters,” Murkomen said.
Further, he argued that the role of the Police IG should not be limited to his office.
Murkomen Defends Douglas Kanja
“It is unnecessary to make a big issue out of this. The IG should be with the president during the tours for security reasons, unless he also has other duties,” he said.
The CS explained that the IG was present in Tharaka Nithi County because it was a development-focused tour.
“And in that process, he also commissioned police housing units, and the President needed the IG to check the conditions of the housing units. Additionally, police stations were also commissioned, and Kanja had the right to be part of the opening ceremony,” he said.
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Interior CS Hits Back at LSK
“I do not know why the Law Society of Kenya (LSK) blew this out of context. The police IG works for the government and not for the opposition alone,” he said
In reaction to Kanja’s speech made during President Ruto’s tour, the Law Society of Kenya (LSK) had demanded an immediate public apology from the Inspector General, stating that his conduct was “unbecoming of the position he holds”.
LSK further asked Kanja to refrain from engaging in any political mobilization or rallies, especially in his official capacity as the Inspector General (IG) of Police.
However, the National Police Service (NPS) responded to the Law Society noting that IG’s presence in Nyeri was strictly in line with his official duties, including oversight of security arrangements during the President’s development tour.
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Jukwaa La Usalama Tour
Cabinet Secretary for Interior has been engaging with residents in the coastal region, leaders, the clergy, regional and county security teams, National Government Administration Officers and peace committees to discuss security matters.
The visits are also meant to gather feedback from Wananchi on their experience with citizen services while conducting spot checks on the Mobile ID Registration rollout and other government services.
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