Wednesday, July 2, 2025 - A coalition of civil society groups has filed a petition at the High Court seeking the removal of Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen from office over the controversial "shoot-to-kill" remarks made during the June 2025 anti-Government protests.
The petition, filed on July 2nd by the Katiba
Institute, the Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC), the Independent
Medico-Legal Unit (IMLU), and other organisations, argues that Murkomen is
unfit to hold public office due to unethical conduct and incitement to
violence.
"The petition alleges that these comments constitute
incitement to violence and unlawful acts, and amount to unacceptable ethical
conduct required of a public officer,” the petitioners said in a joint
statement.
The petition cites a 2022 High Court ruling that discouraged
the use of firearms to protect property during peaceful protests.
It further argues that Murkomen’s remarks violate Article 33
on incitement, as well as Articles 10 and Chapter VI of the Constitution on
leadership and integrity.
The petition also seeks to hold the CS accountable for any
deaths or injuries inflicted by police officers from June 26th
onward, as a result of his public directive.
On that date, Murkomen instructed police to shoot anyone
threatening a station or officers, promising Government protection for such
actions.
The remarks triggered widespread condemnation from legal
experts, political leaders, and human rights activists, who labelled the
directive reckless.
Murkomen later claimed his comments were taken out of
context, clarifying that he meant officers should act only in self-defence or
to protect others.
This comes after a Kenyan citizen petitioned the Law Society
of Kenya on June 30th to strike Murkomen and Deputy President
Kithure Kindiki from the advocates' roll, citing violations of constitutional
and ethical obligations.
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