Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has taken back his remarks clarifying on  his shoot-to-kill directives after public uproar.

Speaking in Kitui on Saturday, Murkomen cited the National Police Service Act of 2011, outlining the circumstances under which an officer may discharge a firearm. 

“I am not the one who wrote the law. The law states that a police officer, when faced with a life-threatening situation, must be able to use their firearms,” said Murkomen.

“I cannot order the IG on anything because the constitution denies me the right to do so. I did not order the IG to conduct any extrajudicial killings. What I did was to restate the law. I did not say anywhere that anybody should be shot and killed. You will find nowhere where I said a police officer should take orders from me. No”.

The CS defended the officers, stating that they operate strictly within the law when using firearms.

He cited situations like when an officer’s life is in danger, in self-defence or in case the life of civilians is threatened, or the protection of life and property through justifiable use of force.

He maintained that officers are trained to apply force only when necessary and within the boundaries of the law.

“This is not a license for recklessness. At any critical moment for our country, security officers first want to ensure that the country is safe,” he said.

The CS was clarifying his recent remarks on shooting individuals believed to have intentions of posing a threat at the police station.

“When someone comes to the police station and wants to take over the government’s office, the police gun and your life, shoot him,” Murkomen said on Thursday while visiting a police station in Kiambu.

The CS has faced since then faced backlash from rights groups and political leaders questioning his authority.