Murkomen: We will arrest, prosecute youth misusing social media
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen addresses journalists on December 20, 2024 at Harambee House in Nairobi.
What you need to know:
- Mr Murkomen’s position comes in the wake of abductions and enforced disappearance of citizens seen as government critics.
- Some of the victims have turned up dead while others have been released from custody under mysterious circumstances.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen on Saturday January 11 warned youth he said were misusing social media and those engaged in cybercrime that they will be arrested and prosecuted.
The CS said the said the government will firmly deal with crime in the country, and that it will ensure that all citizens are accounted for in the backdrop of claims of kidnappings.
"Even those who have been accused of various crimes, we will ensure that they are produced before about of law so that they can be charged" Mr Murkomen said.
"The business of the government of Kenya is not to abduct people but arrest and charge them on court," he said.
"I want to assure you that we will be very firm and though in following the law" Mr Murkomen, who was accompanied by his Principal Secretary Dr Raymond Omollo, said.
The CS was speaking in Siongiroi, Chepalungu constituency Bomet county during the funeral service for Ian Kiprotich Singoei, a 26-year-old engineer whose body was found floating in Mwiki river, Kasarani after he went missing for four days.
Ian went missing on New Year's Day and his lifeless body was discovered four days later following a search by family, friends, members of the public and the police.
He was the son of Elgeyo Marakwet County Commissioner Dr John Korir and Ms Pauline Chemutai Korir, the Bomet County Chief Officer for Gender and Social Services.
Singoe’s family has said he died by drowning and his death was unrelated to the wave of abductions.
Mr Murkomen’s position on abductions comes in the wake of protests over abductions and enforced disappearance of citizens seen as government critics.
Some of the victims have turned up dead while others have been released from custody under mysterious circumstances as the government denies responsibility.
According to the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights, at least 82 cases of abductions were reported in 2024 alone, with only 29 cases resolved.
At the same time, a report presented to Parliament by President William Ruto during his State of the Nation Address last year shows that there were a total of 52 kidnapping cases between September 2023 and August 2024, compared to 36 cases recorded between September 2022 and September 2023.
The cases were recorded in the eight regions of the country namely Nairobi, Rift Valley, Coast, Eastern, Western, Nyanza, Central and North Eastern.
The increased wave of abductions saw activists hold demonstrations in various parts of the country last week, condemning the government's attempts to silence individuals seen as critical of the government.
Mr Murkomen’s promise for arrest and prosecution of those government perceives as misusing social media comes a day after President William Ruto spoke strongly against cases of social media users depicting him and other leaders in coffins, warning that it was a dangerous path and that some unnamed political leaders were misusing the youth for it.
“I want to ask those who are encouraging young people to continue this trend where they are putting people in coffins to be careful so that we don't build a generation that is going to self-destruct. We must tell our young people that good morals, good character pays.
"Instead of using the internet to have pictures, images of people in coffins, use the internet to monetize and create jobs for yourself, earn money and make your lives better. Having coffins will not help you in any way and it will do nothing to nobody,” President Ruto said in Turbo, Uasin Gishu County on Friday January 10.
“Today, you will have the leaders in coffins; next, you will have your parents, your own siblings, or even your friends. Next time, who knows? You risk starting to contemplate about murder.”
In his speech in Bomet, Mr Murkomen said: “I understand there is freedom of speech and I understand a crime and a threat to commit a crime. There is enough in the provision in the Penal Code to charge with. We will not hesitate to do so as this country must operate under law and order."
The CS said the Executive arm of government will do its part on cracking down against crime and the judiciary will determine whether those arrested should be set free or jailed.
"My job is to maintain law and order and the team I work with are apolitical. From now henceforth, you will see apolitical Murkomen and it doesn't matter whether you are my friend or relative, the law must be applied and followed" Mr Murkomen stated.
The Siongiroi funeral was also attended by Senate Majority Leader Aaron Cheruiyot, Bomet Governor Hillary Barchok, Elgeyo Marakwet Governor Wesley Rotich, Judicial Service Commission Vice chairman Isaac Ruto, Chepalungu MP Victor Koech, Johana Ng’eno (Emurua Dikirr) and Oscar Sudi (Kapseret).
The leaders called on the government to be firm on dealing with crime in the country.
Mr Cheruiyot, who is the Kericho senator, said there was a need to deal with cybercrime in the South Rift region.
He said youths engaged in the SIM swapping criminal activities and illegal withdrawal of money in mobile phone and bank accounts should be curbed in the region.
Mulot trading complex in Narok and Bomet counties is leading on cases of cybercrime in the country.
