Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has ordered the immediate arrest of politicians accused of funding and mobilizing youth in Kwale County and other regions to participate in criminal activities. This move follows growing concerns about the involvement of local leaders in orchestrating criminal operations under the guise of youth empowerment.
During the second day of his Jukwaa La Usalama tour in the Coastal Region, Murkomen announced a sweeping security crackdown aimed at apprehending leaders who allegedly host secret night meetings with youth in these areas. According to the CS, these gatherings are often presented as opportunities to help the youth but are, in fact, linked to criminal agendas.
“We have intensified security operations in the county and surrounding areas to apprehend those financing criminal activities,” Murkomen said after a closed-door meeting with regional and county security teams.
He revealed that authorities have gathered credible intelligence suggesting that certain politicians have been holding covert meetings with young people late at night, promising support while secretly recruiting them into criminal activities. Murkomen questioned the motives behind such secretive meetings and urged transparency in their dealings with the youth.
“We have information about politicians holding night meetings, pretending to be helping the youth. If those meetings are progressive, they should be done in broad daylight,” he stated, pointing out that after these gatherings, the same youth are often involved in violent attacks and other criminal actions.
Murkomen reassured the public that the government is committed to ensuring their safety and that security forces have been instructed to act swiftly and decisively. “Action is being taken, and we guarantee locals of their security. Chiefs, their assistants, and other security agencies are under firm instructions to deal with these criminal elements—no one will be spared,” he declared.
A particular concern for Murkomen is the growing trend of young people, some of whom are minors, being recruited into gangs like the notorious Panga Boys. He emphasized that many of these youths should still be in school, not involved in criminal activities. To effectively combat this rising menace, Murkomen stressed the need for a coordinated, multi-agency approach.
“Members of these gangs, such as Panga Boys, are really young people who should still be in school. Our approach in combating this menace will therefore take a multiagency way,” he said.
Murkomen also promised to work closely with the Judiciary to ensure that arrested individuals face the full extent of the law. He expressed frustration with the current system, where those arrested are sometimes released by the courts, only to return to society as if they are above the law. He vowed to ensure that cases against criminals are water-tight, making it harder for offenders to evade justice.
“When these people are arrested and are released by the courts, they come back to the society thinking they are above the law,” Murkomen said. “That won’t happen anymore. We will build water-tight cases to sustain prosecution.”
The CS also issued a stern warning to any government officers suspected of collaborating with criminal gangs. He made it clear that such officers would not be protected and would face immediate disciplinary action.
