Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has moved to clarify his controversial “shoot-to-kill” directive issued to police officers, saying his comments were misunderstood and taken out of context.
Speaking on Friday during a police graduation ceremony in Kanyonyo, Kitui County, Murkomen said the directive was not a green light for reckless use of firearms, but a call to protect officers whose lives may be in danger while on duty. “We are not saying officers should use guns carelessly.
The message was about self-defense no officer should die while fearing to protect themselves,” Murkomen told the new recruits at the Border Police Training Centre.
His statement is against the background of public outrage and sharp criticism from Law Society of Kenya (LSK) President Faith Odhiambo, who described the directive as irresponsible and possibly illegal.
Odhiambo warned that such remarks would result in extrajudicial killings and asserted that any officer who conducts themselves outside the law will be personally held liable.
“No officer is allowed to follow illegal orders. Any unjustified use of force under such directives would amount to a crime,” she said in a strongly worded statement. Murkomen originally made the remarks while addressing officers in Kiambu County, just a day after violent anti-government protests rocked the country.
