Murkomen reveals wife quit her job to focus on full-time motherhood
By Valerian Khakayi, December 7, 2025Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has opened up about parenthood and the sacrifice his wife, Gladys Wanjiru, made that has had a profound impact on their family.
Speaking during the closing ceremony of the Reformed Church of East Africa (R.C.E.A) Women League Annual Convention in Kitengela, on Sunday, December 7, 2025, Murkomen said that his wife traded her law career to be a full-time mother.
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He went on to say there is nothing that can replace parents’ personal attention for their children.
“There is nothing that can replace personal attention to your children. Mimi at least nko lucky bibi yangu aliwacha kazi akasema wacha nikae na watoto,” Murkomen said.
The CS added that her decision means he has to work harder to support both his wife and their children, noting that her presence ensures that someone is always looking after the kids.
“So I have to work double ndio ni support bibi na ni support watoto because she is helping me to make sure there is someone looking after the kids all the time,” he added.
Murkomen also urged other parents, particularly mothers, to create quality time to engage with their children.
“Even you as mothers, create as much time and talk to our kids,” he said, emphasising the importance of parental involvement in raising well-rounded children.
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Murkomen on parenting
During the same event, the CS also noted that parents are increasingly delegating their core responsibilities to teachers, religious leaders, caregivers, and even digital platforms, a shift he believes is leaving children without the grounding and guidance they need.
“Some of the prevailing social ills and crimes in our society today are attributable to a lack of parental attention and guidance during childhood. The role of parenting is increasingly being left to teachers, pastors, nannies and the internet,” Murkomen.
He further underscored the importance of restoring strong moral and spiritual foundations within households, saying that families must take a deliberate role in shaping children’s character.
“Cultivating a culture of prayer and teaching social mores in our families provides our children with the foundation to live with honesty, discipline and diligence. A family’s faith and tradition act as the moral compass and anchor as one navigates life’s challenges and demands,” he said.
Murkomen’s wife
On December 12, 2024, Murkomen and his wife celebrated their 15th wedding anniversary. The couple met 20 years ago.
Wanjiru is a professional lawyer.