Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has sharply criticised political actors, describing them as the biggest security threat facing the country due to their alleged role in mobilising youth for violent activities.

Speaking on Wednesday during a visit to the National Police College Embakasi, Murkomen warned that the growing trend of organised gangs and politically instigated violence was undermining national stability.

“The emergence of political goons and gangs is a national security threat. Picketing has also been used by politicians to cause chaos, instead of people registering their dissent without destruction,” said the CS.

He added that the situation had worsened over time, with vulnerable young people increasingly being recruited into violent networks linked to political interests.

“Unfortunately, politicians are the greatest threat to security now. They recruit young people as goons and gangs, and this has been getting worse over the years,” he said.

Murkomen’s remarks come against the backdrop of rising incidents of unrest during protests, some of which have escalated into attacks on critical installations. He cited recent patterns where demonstrators allegedly targeted police stations and even Parliament.

“The pattern is worrying for the nation where attackers target security installations like the police stations and Parliament,” he warned.

The CS said the National Police Service was already responding to emerging threats by reviewing and strengthening its training programmes. He noted that officers are being retooled and reskilled, particularly in crowd control and management, to deal with evolving security challenges.

“The NPS is retooling and reskilling officers to ensure we give Kenyans the best, including crowd control and management capabilities,” he said.

He expressed confidence in the ongoing training of recruits, noting that the curriculum had been carefully designed to equip officers with the knowledge, skills, and mindset needed to safeguard peace and protect lives and property.

At the same time, Murkomen underscored the importance of accountability within the security sector, revealing that investigations had been launched into a protest-related incident in Embu County that resulted in loss of life.

He welcomed the move by Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja to deploy senior investigators from police headquarters to probe the matter.

“I am happy that the IG, Douglas Kanja, has sent top investigators from the headquarters to probe the matter,” said the CS, adding that police brutality would not be tolerated.

Murkomen directed that any officers found culpable would face appropriate disciplinary action, stressing the need for professionalism and adherence to the law.

Separately, police have intensified operations targeting organised gangs. In Kitale, at least 170 suspects were arrested following the disruption of a youth voter registration drive under the Niko Kadi Initiative, an incident that paralysed business in the town. Authorities said more than 200 mobile phones were recovered, with some suspects linked to serious criminal activity.

Murkomen said the government was also upgrading training institutions to enhance continuous professional development for officers.

“We are revamping regional colleges and centres of excellence to ensure our officers can access regular training with ease,” he said.

Inspector General Kanja urged officers to uphold the law and respect human rights, warning that misconduct could harm both their careers and public trust in the police service.