Wamuzi News KeIn a blistering public response today, the Law Society of Kenya (LSK) condemned Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen’s apparent endorsement of a “shoot‑to‑kill” policy for police, declaring it unconstitutional and a blatant undermining of judicial oversight.
The uproar follows Murkomen’s statement on Thursday during a visit to strike-damaged Nairobi CBD, where he assured police of full backing even if they faced legal action for using lethal force. “You have my support 100%. If any officer is taken to court because he used his gun to defend himself … we will not cooperate,” he declared, leaving civil society stunned.
Swiftly responding, LSK issued a formal reprimand—drawn sharply against the CS in his dual capacity as a State officer and legal professional. Their statement asserted that his comments promoted extrajudicial killings and directly conflicted with constitutional protections surrounding the use of force.
LSK emphasized that Kenyan law, including Chapter 6 of the Constitution and the National Police Service Act, strictly confines the use of deadly force to immediate life-threatening situations—and even then, only as a final resort. Promises of blanket immunity for police officers, they argued, are illegal and cannot override judicial jurisdiction .
In a pointed warning to law enforcement, LSK reminded officers that any unlawful shootings would trigger individual criminal liability. They also urged the Inspector‑General to caution officers against following unconstitutional directives.
The legal fraternity’s response is shaping into a full-fledged constitutional crisis. Critics argue that Murkomen’s comments threaten civil liberties, embolden excessive force, and could torpedo Kenya’s standing in the international human rights community.
As protests loom ahead of the planned June 25 commemoration of last year’s #RutoMustGo unrest, questions are mounting over whether police will act on the CS’s backing or heed LSK’s legal rebuke. With mounting public scrutiny and potential court action, Nairobi braces for what could be a pivotal showdown over justice, accountability, and the future of policing in Kenya.
