Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has warned politicians against interfering with the operations of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) ahead of the 2027 General Election.
Murkomen said politicians should allow independent institutions to carry out their mandates without interference.
Speaking in Uasin Gishu County on Sunday, August 30, Murkomen took issue with politicians who he said wanted to control every aspect of the electoral process.
“You find somebody talking about IEBC and wanting to decide everything. Somebody wants to be a contractor, wants to be a candidate, wants to be a referee, and wants to be the one deciding everything,” Murkomen said.
He insisted that politicians should stick to their roles and stop interfering with the work of other institutions.
“Everybody should stick to their responsibility, not try to become IEBC officers, the Inspector General of Kenya, and everything else. Everybody is wrong except yourself. This kind of behaviour must stop,” he added.
Murkomen also warned politicians against hiring goons to disrupt the meetings of their opponents as political activities intensify ahead of the next General Election.
He said the government would deal firmly with anyone involved in political violence.
“As the security department, we will deal firmly with goons. There is no space for goons in our country,” he said.
The Interior CS further said politicians should compete based on policies rather than violence and intimidation.
“Competition should not create enemies. We must compete through policies and not through fighting with pangas and other weapons,” Murkomen stated.
At the same time, Murkomen took a swipe at the opposition, accusing its leaders of lacking a clear programme and policy direction.
He said leaders seeking political office should present their plans to Kenyans and allow voters to judge them based on their performance.
“This is the first time in Kenya that you have an opposition leadership that completely does not have a programme, does not have a plan, does not have a manifesto and does not have a direction,” Murkomen said.
