The National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula has formally directed the Cabinet Secretary for Interior and National Administration, Kipchumba Murkomen, to appear before the House on Wednesday, June 25, 2025.

Wetang’ula said the CS will appear to also address growing concerns over the death of Albert Ojwang and the conduct of police officers during the Tuesday, June 17, 2025, protests.

The Speaker issued the directive during a sitting of the National Assembly on Wednesday, June 18, 2025, in response to mounting pressure from Members of Parliament and public outcry over the police’s handling of demonstrators.

The directive comes amid increasing calls for institutional accountability and transparency in matters of public safety and security enforcement.

“That the Minister for Internal Security appears before this House on Wednesday afternoon, so that those with questions, and the questions so far raised, can be interrogated by the House,” Speaker Wetang’ula said.

He emphasised that the minister’s appearance would help the National Assembly lend its voice to what he termed “matters that we disapprove of, on the conduct of officers who are supposed to protect and not harm.”

The Speaker further acknowledged the ongoing court case related to the incident and noted that parliamentary engagement on the matter would be conducted in consideration of the legal process and judicial rules.

The Deputy Majority Leader Owen Baya backed the Speaker’s directive, noting the urgency of parliamentary scrutiny following disturbing footage that circulated online.

“Honourable Speaker, I think on that one, I don’t want just one question—Honourable Speaker, that has come out clearly—as much as we all regret, as a country, it was a very, very unfortunate event,” Baya said.

He referenced a widely shared video of a police officer shooting an unarmed civilian, identified as Boniface Kariuki who is a mask vendor.

“We saw in the videos going around of a police officer shooting an unarmed innocent Kenyan who was walking, doing his hustle,” Baya added.

Ojwang’s death has sparked outrage among human rights groups, civil society organisations, and members of the public, who have called for independent investigations and accountability. Calls for the resignation of senior security officials have also surfaced, the Deputy Inspector of Police Eliud Lagat has already stepped down to allow a smooth probe.

Wetang’ula said the Minister would be expected in the House chamber at 3:30 pm on the designated day to respond to specific questions from Members of Parliament.

“So, Majority Leader, Owen Baya, Wednesday at 3:30 pm the Minister for Internal Security to appear before this House is so directed,” Wetang’ula ruled.

Murkomen’s police reforms

The appearance of CS Murkomen is expected to shed light on the government’s position regarding the events, the death of Albert Ojwang, and the role of police during the protests.

On Monday, June 16, 2025, Murkomen said it will now be mandatory for police stations across the country to have CCTV cameras. 

The CS clarified that existing CCTV installations in some stations were informal initiatives not fully sanctioned by the National Police Service, but that moving forward, implementation would be standardised and mandatory nationwide.

Mukomen stated that the OCS of the station will be in charge of managing the CCTV cameras. 

The CS announced that all 1,209 police stations in the country will be equipped with CCTV surveillance within two years to improve transparency and accountability in policing. 

“All police stations must be equipped with CCTV surveillance with a back-up system within two years to enhance transparency and accountability. Additionally, we propose that Parliament enact laws that criminalise tampering with the cameras,” Murkomen said.

He directed that all faulty equipment must be reported within one hour through the chain of command.

He added that to protect the integrity of the systems, the Ministry will propose legislation in Parliament to criminalise tampering with CCTV equipment, and every station will be required to maintain an external backup for the footage.

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