Murkomen’s Statement Not Only Endorses Corruption In The Police Force But Officially Acknowledges It

The shocking statement attributed to Cabinet Secretary Murkomen that “it is not corruption when police demand fuel money from Kenyans who need their help” is not merely careless—it is a public endorsement of corruption. It lays bare the rot at the heart of Kenya Kwanza’s governance model, one where impunity is baptized as policy, and illegality is dressed as service.

For a senior government official to normalize police extortion is to spit in the faces of hardworking Kenyans who pay taxes precisely so that security services are funded. Every year, Parliament allocates billions of shillings to the Ministry of Interior, which includes police operations and fuel budgets. Police fuel is already covered. Asking citizens to “top up” is extortion.

Murkomen’s words undermine the very spirit of Chapter Six of the Constitution of Kenya on leadership and integrity. Public officers must uphold the rule of law, not bend it to justify corruption. His pronouncement signals that under Ruto’s regime, the Constitution is nothing more than a footnote—a tool to quote selectively, then discard when inconvenient.

The Penal Code (Cap 63, Laws of Kenya) criminalizes the solicitation of benefits by public officials under Section 39. For a police officer to ask for “fuel money” is a direct violation of this provision. For a Cabinet Secretary to say it is “not corruption” is an attempt to whitewash criminality, and that makes Murkomen complicit in encouraging crime.

Murkomen’s words directly contravene the Anti-Corruption and Economic Crimes Act, 2003, which defines corruption broadly, including “abuse of office” and “extortion.” A police officer demanding money to do their duty falls squarely under this. The CS has therefore spoken against the law he swore to uphold. This is a direct abuse of his oath of office.

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Further, Article 10 of the Constitution outlines national values such as transparency, accountability, and good governance. By excusing police bribery, Murkomen undermines these values. He is effectively saying corruption is part of governance. This cannot be allowed to stand. The Law Society of Kenya must urgently review his conduct and strike him from the Roll of Advocates.

Kenya’s police service is infamous for corruption. Transparency International reports consistently rank it as the most bribery-prone institution. Instead of reforming the force, Murkomen has added gasoline to the fire. His statement will embolden rogue officers to fleece Kenyans more aggressively, hiding behind the shield of “fuel money” legitimacy.

This pronouncement is dangerous because it weaponizes poverty. In a country where millions live on less than Sh200 a day, being forced to bribe police for “fuel” is not only extortion—it is state-sanctioned theft. It makes security access a privilege for the rich while abandoning the poor to crime and lawlessness.

Police officers already misuse fuel allocations. Auditor General reports have highlighted ghost fuel claims, inflated receipts, and missing vehicles in police stations. Instead of addressing this theft of public funds, Murkomen is attempting to shift the burden to ordinary citizens. This is systemic corruption masquerading as necessity.

In effect, Murkomen is declaring that the taxes Kenyans pay are useless. If citizens must finance police movement personally, what then is the purpose of taxation? This is double taxation through extortion, and it reeks of contempt for citizens. The CS is mocking taxpayers, telling them their money fuels corruption, not police cars.

Under Article 244 of the Constitution, the National Police Service is required to be professional, accountable, and responsive to the needs of the people. How can professionalism exist where officers are reduced to beggars demanding fuel cash? How can accountability stand when the minister normalizes extortion? This is constitutional betrayal.

Murkomen’s defense of extortion is a breach of public trust. Article 73 of the Constitution demands that leaders exercise authority as a public trust, bringing honor and dignity to the office. His comments have instead brought shame, ridicule, and dishonor. He has dragged the office of the Cabinet Secretary into the gutter of impunity.

The Law Society of Kenya cannot remain silent. Murkomen is an advocate of the High Court. His statement encourages illegality and corruption. This violates the Advocates’ Code of Conduct, which requires members to uphold justice and respect the rule of law. LSK must disbar him, else it becomes complicit in protecting corruption apologists.

The CS’s statement is not an isolated gaffe. It reflects a broader pattern in Ruto’s government—where corruption is normalized, and accountability is dismissed as harassment. From SHIF scandals to fake fertilizer, every scandal is downplayed. Murkomen’s words fit the same pattern: theft rebranded as normal service delivery.

Police extortion thrives because the political class shields it. Officers on the ground will quote Murkomen when caught demanding bribes: “Even the CS said it is not corruption.” This single statement will undo decades of anti-corruption training and campaigns. It legitimizes criminal behavior under the banner of official government policy.

The Constitution vests sovereignty in the people of Kenya. Leaders exercise delegated authority. When a CS condones corruption, he usurps the sovereignty of the people, abusing their trust. This is not mere misjudgment—it is treason against constitutional order. Murkomen’s words are a declaration of war against the rule of law.

Parliament too must act. The National Assembly has an obligation under Article 95 to hold Cabinet Secretaries accountable. Murkomen’s statement is grounds for censure. If Parliament remains silent, it becomes complicit. MPs must summon him, demand an apology, and recommend his removal from office.

The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) must also intervene. Endorsing corruption is itself corruption. EACC should investigate Murkomen’s statement as a potential “abetting of corrupt practices.” If found culpable, he must face charges under the Anti-Corruption and Economic Crimes Act. Impunity must not be given a free pass.

This episode also exposes the hypocrisy of Kenya Kwanza. The same government that promised to fight corruption now openly justifies it. Ruto campaigned on integrity, yet his CSs defend extortion. This is not governance; it is organized looting. Murkomen has shown us that corruption is no longer hidden—it is official doctrine.

The security sector has one of the largest budgets. In the 2024/2025 estimates, billions were allocated to police vehicles, fuel, and maintenance. Citizens have already paid for this through taxes. For the CS to say officers should demand “fuel money” is to admit that these billions have been stolen, looted, or misappropriated.

Kenyans must not allow this normalization of theft. The Constitution is clear: every citizen has a right to security under Article 29. That right cannot be conditional on paying bribes. Murkomen’s words deny Kenyans their rights. They turn constitutional guarantees into privileges auctioned to the highest bidder.

Civil society must mobilize. Anti-corruption groups, legal professionals, and ordinary Kenyans must unite to reject this insult. Petitions must be filed, demonstrations organized, and litigation pursued. Silence is endorsement. To let Murkomen’s words slide is to surrender to corruption as the default setting of governance.

Religious leaders, too, must speak. Murkomen himself often cloaks his politics in faith. But what faith justifies theft? What scripture endorses extortion? Clergy must rebuke this moral decay, reminding leaders that justice, honesty, and service are sacred duties. The pulpit must not be silent in the face of open corruption.

If Kenyans normalize this statement, tomorrow, police will demand “airtime money,” “uniform money,” or “lunch money” to serve citizens. Corruption thrives in increments. What begins as “fuel money” will end in total privatization of state functions. Public service will collapse into bribery-driven extortion rackets.

International partners must also note this regression. Kenya receives billions in aid for security, including counterterrorism and police reforms. Donors cannot ignore a government that openly endorses extortion. They must demand accountability or cut funding. Otherwise, they are funding a mafia, not a police service.

Murkomen’s reckless words are dangerous for another reason: they demoralize honest officers. Not every policeman is corrupt. Many serve honorably. To have their leader excuse extortion undermines their integrity, encouraging rogues and discouraging reformists. It entrenches a culture of dishonesty in the entire service.

The Constitution provides remedies. Article 152 allows the President to dismiss Cabinet Secretaries for gross misconduct. If Ruto refuses to act, then he is complicit. If he retains Murkomen, it proves corruption is not incidental but systemic—embedded in the DNA of his administration. Kenyans must hold him accountable.

Murkomen’s remarks also violate international conventions. Kenya is a signatory to the UN Convention Against Corruption, which obligates states to prevent and criminalize corruption in all forms. By excusing bribery, the CS breaches Kenya’s obligations. This undermines our standing globally and exposes the country to sanctions.

The judiciary must rise to the occasion. Courts have consistently held that bribery is unconstitutional. Public Interest Litigation should be filed seeking a declaration that Murkomen’s statement is unconstitutional and null. Courts must affirm that no Cabinet Secretary has the authority to redefine corruption.

Academics and legal scholars must dissect this moment. It is a constitutional crisis when a CS declares theft to be lawful. Law schools must teach this as an example of how leadership can normalize impunity. Debate, critique, and scholarly rebuke are necessary to ensure the next generation rejects such decay.

The media must not sanitize this scandal. Too often, officials’ reckless statements are buried in headlines. This one cannot be buried. It is a watershed moment. Editors must give it front-page treatment, opinion writers must dissect it, and broadcasters must host debates. Public pressure is the only antidote to arrogance.

Murkomen must personally be held accountable. He must retract the statement publicly, apologize to Kenyans, and commit to reforms. Anything less is unacceptable. If he refuses, then he has no moral or legal standing to continue as Cabinet Secretary. His office cannot coexist with open endorsement of corruption.

But Kenyans cannot stop with Murkomen alone. The entire Kenya Kwanza administration thrives on corruption—fake fertilizer scams, SHIF looting, and inflated contracts. Murkomen’s statement is just a symptom. The disease is Ruto’s governance model. The cure is civic action, resistance, and relentless accountability.

Ultimately, this is about the dignity of Kenyans. No citizen should beg or bribe for security. No leader should endorse extortion. Murkomen has crossed a red line. He has declared corruption lawful. That makes him unfit to hold office, unfit to serve the people, and unfit to remain on the Roll of Advocates.

Kenyans must demand his resignation. Professional bodies must disbar him. Parliament must censure him. The President must dismiss him. And if all fails, the people must organize. For if corruption is normalized, then tyranny is entrenched. And if Murkomen is left unpunished, then Kenya’s future is auctioned off to thieves in suits.

This controversy must not be forgotten. It must be remembered as the day a Cabinet Secretary officially endorsed corruption, and Kenyans either rose to defend their Constitution or allowed their nation to sink deeper into impunity. Murkomen has shown us what is at stake: everything. And now, the choice belongs to the people.

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