Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has slighted former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua’s Thursday, August 21, 2025, homecoming, terming it a small event that warranted no attention.

Speaking on Friday, August 22, 2025, Murkomen dismissed assertions that the government deployed elaborate security at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport ahead of Gachagua’s much-anticipated arrival.

He maintained that the police presence at the airport was a normal security operation procedure undertaken in cases of events involving politicians.

“That was a very small event that did not require such level of attention,” he stated.

Heavy Deployment?

“I was surprised when I heard people talking of heavy deployment of security. I thought, “Heavy deployment for what? That was a small thing that did not require that level of attention. Sometimes, because we are not informed about the magnitude of the plans of political actors, the police are just on standby to see if there is any problem. Like yesterday, police were just on standby because there was no clear notification on what was going to happen and what routes,” he explained.

Murkomen called on politicians to accord the country’s highly guarded installations the respect they deserve and refrain from exposing and painting such facilities in a negative light to the outside world.

He opined that the violence scenes witnessed during Gachagua’s arrival did not bode well for the image of the country.

Respect for airport

“We need to respect our airports. We have now signed certain protocols that allow us to fly directly to various countries in Europe and the US. It is important not to make our airports centres for political activities. I expect a certain level of decorum from our leaders when they get to the airport. We don’t want our airport to be a stage for ridicule in terms of security protocols,” he added.

His sentiments come after Martha Karua strongly condemned the attack on the convoy of the former DP on Thursday, August 21, 2025.

In a statement shared via her official X account on Thursday, August 21, 2025, at night, Karua said the incident, which took place as Gachagua’s motorcade left Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA), was carried out by a militia in full view of police officers deployed to maintain order.

She claimed the inaction by law enforcement suggested the attack was “state-sanctioned”.

“We condemn in the strongest terms possible the attack of the convoy of @rigathi on his way from the JKIA today. The attacking militia unleashed their criminal acts in full view of the police deployed by @IG_NPS @NPSOfficial_KE, giving the impression that the attack was state-sanctioned,” Karua stated.