Murkomen vows tougher crackdown on gangs and drug networks in coastal counties
By Cy Muganda, January 16, 2026Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has announced an intensified crackdown on criminal networks and drug trafficking operations in coastal counties, saying security agencies will step up operations while expanding rehabilitation and reintegration efforts for reformed offenders.
In a statement posted on his X account on Friday, January 16, 2026, Murkomen disclosed that he had held a consultative meeting with Members of Parliament from all six coastal counties, during which they assessed progress made following the Jukwaa la Usalama forums and identified areas that require further action and coordination.
“Today, I held a consultative meeting with MPs from all the six Coastal counties on security and national administration matters. We took stock of the progress made in implementing the recommendations of the Jukwaa la Usalama forums and identified areas requiring further action and collaboration,” Murkomen said.
Fight against criminal networks
According to the Interior CS, the government has already made notable gains in addressing insecurity, particularly by curbing the activities of juvenile gangs and operationalising new administrative units to bring services closer to residents.
“We have made significant progress in addressing most of the challenges, including reining in juvenile gangs and operationalising administrative units in order to bring services closer to the people,” he said.
Assault on drug trafficking
On crime and substance abuse, Murkomen said authorities would intensify action against remaining criminal networks, noting that the government’s strategy would combine enforcement with efforts to ensure reformed offenders are productively engaged.
“We will also intensify our crackdown on the remaining criminal networks while focusing on the rehabilitation and reintegration of reformed offenders and gainfully engaging them,” he said.
Murkomen added that MPs had been rallied behind a stepped-up campaign against alcohol and drug abuse, with a renewed focus on dismantling production, trafficking and distribution networks, as well as seizing assets linked to the trade to support rehabilitation programmes.
“I rallied the MPs around our stepped-up fight against alcohol and drug abuse, with the focus turning to disrupting production, trafficking and distribution networks, while seizing the assets of the offenders to support rehabilitation,” he said.
Mass registration drive
He also raised concerns over documentation in the region, revealing that more than 500,000 adults in the coastal counties lack national identity cards.
Murkomen said the government would deploy live capture machines and work closely with local leaders to ensure all eligible residents are registered.
“There are more than 500,000 adults in the Coastal region who do not have national identity cards. We will deploy live capture machines and work closely with leaders to ensure all eligible persons are registered so they can access government services,” he said.
The consultative meeting brought together senior government officials, including Mining and Blue Economy Cabinet Secretary Ali Hassan Joho, Mombasa Governor Abdulswamad Sheriff Nassir, Mining Principal Secretary Harry Kimutai, NACADA CEO Dr Anthony Omerikwa, Principal Administrative Secretary Beverly Opwora, and Coast Regional Police Commander Ali Nuno.