Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has shockingly moved to overhaul disciplinary standards in the National Police Service, demanding a new framework to address officers who report for duty while intoxicated.
The directive follows public outrage after a senior police officer was caught attending a high‑level security meeting in an apparently drunken state, which showed rising concerns about alcohol abuse and actual professional conduct among security personnel of Kenya.
Murkomen told Members of Parliament on Thursday, February 12, 2026, that the incident in which the Officer Commanding Station OCS from Ntimaru Police Station, Migori County, attended a Jukwaa la Usalama forum while visibly under the influence showed that police personnel have developed a substance misuse culture, which needs to be treated as an urgent matter.
The CS said he has instructed Inspector General Douglas Kanja to develop clear policies on how to manage officers who show up drunk at official gatherings or on duty.
The scandal about Chief Inspector Daniel Muchiri led to authorities taking immediate action when he received suspension while they evaluated his behavior at the security forum, which government officials presided over. At that time, Murkomen suggested the behavior was unacceptable and indicated the officer might be facing underlying health challenges requiring evaluation.
Murkomen told lawmakers that officers who report for duty while intoxicated create security risks because they have failed to protect citizens. He explained that the new framework will establish specific punishment measures for rule breakers together with procedures to identify alcohol consumption among personnel before they go to official functions.
The CS established a connection between the government’s national security efforts against substance abuse and its upcoming operational changes. Authorities have previously framed alcohol and drug misuse among the population as a crisis, with President William Ruto describing illicit alcohol and substance dependence as threats requiring coordinated action across agencies.
Police critics have demanded stronger disciplinary action against officers who show up to work under the influence of alcohol. Some of these critics want to see repeat offenders dismissed from duty to protect public confidence in law enforcement and maintain security operations. The Murkomen initiative demonstrates that government demands for action on critical issues have reached the highest centers of government.
The Inspector General will present the upcoming disciplinary framework to the public, which will create new standards for internal police operations while strengthening accountability measures throughout all of Kenya’s security agencies.
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