Isiolo, Kenya| Chiefs and assistant chiefs serving in Kenya’s most volatile regions will now be eligible to apply for government-issued firearms, Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has announced, in a significant shift aimed at bolstering grassroots security and shielding administrators from escalating threats.
Speaking during a high-level security meeting in Isiolo town with top regional and county security chiefs from the Rift Valley and Eastern regions—including representatives from Marsabit, Samburu, Laikipia, Meru, and Isiolo—CS Murkomen confirmed that chiefs facing security threats in their jurisdictions may acquire arms, provided they follow the proper legal and administrative protocols.
“The government recognizes the dangers that chiefs and their assistants face in high-risk areas. Like the National Police Reservists, those who are willing and eligible can apply to be armed for self-protection,” Murkomen said. “However, they must first register with the Inspector General of Police before firearms are issued.”
The Interior CS noted that several chiefs had been subjected to harassment and intimidation by both criminal elements and rogue politicians, despite their critical role as chairs of locational security committees.
He emphasized that the state was committed to equipping local administrators with both the tools and institutional support required to effectively enforce law and order.
“While we encourage close collaboration between local administrators and police commanders, we must also empower our chiefs to defend themselves in the face of direct threats,” Murkomen asserted.
The move to consider arming chiefs comes amid growing insecurity in parts of northern Kenya, where banditry, ethnic clashes, and cross-border crimes remain rampant.
It underscores a broader strategy by the government to decentralize and strengthen local security infrastructure.
Murkomen also used the occasion to reiterate the government’s expectation that chiefs serve as steadfast representatives of state authority.
He called on them to demonstrate unwavering loyalty to the administration and to actively promote and implement key government policies and development projects at the grassroots level.
To enhance the operational capacity of chiefs, Murkomen announced plans to provide motorbikes to facilitate mobility and pledged to expand administrative reach by opening more sub-locations and offices to improve service delivery to remote communities.
In addition to addressing the security of public administrators, the CS raised alarm over the rising incidents of human trafficking and drug smuggling in the region.
He instructed security agencies to adopt a zero-tolerance stance, urging prompt arrests and seizure of vehicles involved in the illegal trades.
“Criminals involved in drug trafficking and human smuggling are exploiting middlemen to perpetuate their activities. We must dismantle these networks decisively and ensure that no one, however connected, is shielded from prosecution,” he said.
Murkomen affirmed that ongoing joint patrols involving police and multi-agency units would be intensified to confront organized crime and restore public safety in affected counties.
The meeting was attended by Deputy Inspector General of Police Eliud Langat, Eastern Regional Commissioner Paul Rotich, and Rift Valley Regional Commissioner Dr. Abdi Hassan, among other senior security officials.
The announcements signal a more assertive approach by the Interior Ministry in managing rural insecurity, while also highlighting the state’s intent to reinforce the authority and safety of frontline government officers.
Share This Post