Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has defended the Kenya Kwanza administration's record on abductions. He said it had done more to curb them than any previous government, The Star reported.
Murkomen spoke during a National Assembly plenary session on Wednesday while answering questions from MPs. He said reported kidnappings and abductions had declined sharply since 2022. According to The Star's report, he gave no figures. He added that security agencies were investigating reported incidents, including cases that turned out to be self-abductions.
The CS said the government had set up a specialised Anti-Abduction Investigations Unit. He called it evidence of the administration's commitment to tackling the problem. He also said ending extrajudicial killings had been a policy pledge since the 2022 campaign. "You have not seen cases of bodies floating in rivers as it happened in the last government," he said.
Murkomen admitted that security challenges remain. He urged Kenyans to judge the government's performance on facts and with a balanced view of the situation. The Star's report did not include responses from the opposition or rights groups.
He tied the government's security push to the 2027 General Election. He said agencies were working to break up criminal gangs that could disrupt political activities and threaten public safety. The aim, he said, was for every Kenyan to take part in the polls freely, safely and without intimidation.
Murkomen also pointed to the crackdown on illicit alcohol, drugs and substance abuse. He described the illegal trade as a threat to public health, community safety and young people. He said security agencies had stepped up operations against those involved.
On the Kenya-Ethiopia border, Murkomen said the government had tightened security to protect the country's territory, particularly around Moyale. He said Nairobi was engaging Addis Ababa diplomatically to stop instability in Ethiopia from spilling across the border.