Murkomen calls out police for tainting govt image by soliciting bribes
By Steve Ireri, July 27, 2025Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has strongly condemned police officers who solicit bribes, warning that their misconduct is giving the government a bad name and undermining efforts to instil discipline within the security sector.
Speaking during a church service at the AIC Kaptalamwa in Marakwet West on Sunday, July 27, 2025, Murkomen said that some Officers Commanding Stations (OCSs) have been accused of allowing their juniors to abandon their core duties and instead focus on extorting boda boda riders along roads.
He noted that the habit of stopping motorcyclists to demand small bribes has cast the police in a negative light, portraying them as predators instead of protectors of the public.
“And to the OCS, do not take bribes from people on the roads because it is bringing shame to the government and giving the police a bad image. I have been told there are some officers whose job is not even traffic, but their only work is to go and target boda boda riders on the road, watching over them, looking for a small bribe,” he said.
Further, Murkomen lamented that officers, including those not designated as traffic police, have taken it upon themselves to harass boda boda operators, neglecting critical responsibilities such as combating banditry and addressing serious security threats.
He stressed that this shift in priorities is not only shameful but also damaging to the Kenya Kwanza government’s credibility.
The CS insisted that while it is necessary for boda boda riders to adhere to traffic laws and avoid overloading passengers, this must not be used as a pretext for officers to engage in corruption.
“Meanwhile, they are abandoning other duties like fighting bandits and dealing with serious matters. I am not saying boda boda riders should be allowed to carry five or six passengers. No. They must follow the law. But we must not take bribes. It will bring harm to the citizens.”
Exhibits
Murkomen also raised concern about the state of discipline among some officers, questioning whether exhibits were truly safe in the hands of those meant to protect them.
He directed his remarks at one of the OCSs present, asking whether his officers consumed alcohol.
When the OCS admitted that at least one of them did, Murkomen warned that such behaviour could easily compromise the integrity of stored evidence.
“How many of you drink alcohol in the stations you are in? The OCS must be careful because of the chang’aa I saw him seize and the exhibits; if a police officer is drinking alcohol, he could consume the whole year’s stock. So, you have to be very careful, even about where the exhibits are stored. If it is not a proper standard, it can become a problem. That is why we will construct a proper facility where there is a secure exhibit store. Even in the OCS here, I want you to be very diligent in how you manage your work. Let the job be done properly.”