Willis Otieno faults Murkomen for demanding court proof before acting on brutality
By Ascah Mwango, July 31, 2025Outspoken lawyer Willis Otieno has criticised Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen over comments suggesting police brutality must first be proven in court before being acknowledged.
In a post shared on his X account on Thursday, July 31, 2025, Otieno lashed out at the CS, accusing him of shielding state violence and making excuses for government excesses.
“This is state-sponsored stupidity. This is the same man who shouts about the rule of law when it suits power but suddenly can’t see blood in the streets unless it’s filed in court and stamped in triplicate,” Otieno stated.
He went on to condemn Murkomen for what he called a lack of moral responsibility in addressing human rights violations during recent protests.
“The idea that courts must first prove brutality before we acknowledge it is a dangerous excuse for inaction and a shield for impunity,” he declared.
Otieno was responding to remarks made by Murkomen earlier during the 23rd Jukwaa La Usalama town hall meeting held in Laikipia County. While addressing residents, the CS downplayed claims of police brutality and instead blamed protest organisers for the chaos witnessed in recent weeks.
“You cannot say there is police brutality until it is investigated and proven by the court. We can only say that people have died during protests, which turned out to be criminal activities not representing Article 37 of our Constitution,” he said.
Adding;
“I have said and insisted that any organiser of these acts of terror, burning courts, police stations, and supermarkets, will be charged with terrorism.”
Mixed signals
From initially defending the police and encouraging lethal force against protesters, to later calling for investigations into police excesses, and now insisting that only courts can determine brutality, the CS has repeatedly sent mixed signals.
On July 16, 2025, CS distanced himself from police excesses.
“There is no law that excuses a police officer from committing crimes or killing people. Any claims of an officer killing civilians must and will be investigated. All cases of excesses reported will be investigated,” he said during a press conference on July 16, 2025.
While addressing police officers in the wake of the Gen Z memorial protests on June 25, 2025, Murkomen was captured on video encouraging the use of lethal force.
“The problem that sometimes makes the police shoot criminals is that they get arrested, are released, then come back to mock the police, asking, ‘So, where did you take us? Nowhere,” Murkomen said.
“And we’ve told the police, anyone who comes near a police station, shoot them.”
At the time, his remarks drew heavy backlash from human rights defenders and civil society groups who accused him of endorsing extrajudicial killings.