Willis Otieno has come out strongly to condemn Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen for his shoot-to-kill directive aimed at protesters. The lawyer criticized Murkomen for abandoning his legal training and turning into what he described as a servant of political power.
According to Otieno, the CS has completely forgotten his roots as a legal scholar and is now using his government position to spread fear instead of promoting justice. He accused Murkomen of being drunk on power and warned that such reckless orders could put the lives of many innocent Kenyans at risk.
In a statement released on June 28, 2025, Otieno described Murkomen’s transformation as a shameful downfall of someone who once upheld the law.
He called him a disgrace to the Constitution, saying that being close to power had blinded him from his responsibility to serve the people. Otieno’s message was clear Murkomen is betraying the law he once stood for, and in doing so, he is putting the entire country on a dangerous path.
Otieno had already warned police officers the day before, urging them not to follow illegal orders from politicians. He reminded them that if they choose to act unlawfully, they will be held responsible in their personal capacity.
The lawyer stated that when all is said and done, those officers who commit crimes under such illegal instructions will stand trial alone. He cautioned them that the same leaders giving them unlawful commands today will not stand beside them in court tomorrow.
Cameras and public judgment will be focused only on the officers who pull the trigger, not on the politicians who gave the orders. Otieno emphasized that uniforms and titles won’t shield anyone from justice and urged officers to uphold the Constitution rather than serve political interests.
Murkomen’s remarks were made during a visit to Kiambu County on June 25, 2025, after the Gen Z memorial protests. He said police should shoot anyone who comes near a police station with what he described as bad intentions. He claimed some individuals were mocking officers after being released and that this behavior needed to be ended through force.
This statement has sparked nationwide outrage. Legal experts, human rights defenders, and ordinary citizens have called out the CS for encouraging extrajudicial killings. Many believe the order directly violates the Constitution, which guarantees every citizen the right to life and due process.Otieno’s message stands as a strong reminder to those in uniform and in office.
He insisted that obeying the law must always come before obeying political figures. His warning to the police was not just legal but also moral, they have a duty to protect citizens, not to become tools of violence.
