Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has assured Kenyans that the country remains safe despite a warning by the National Intelligence Service (NIS) saying otherwise.
While speaking on Citizen TV on Wednesday night, Murkomen ostensibly dismissed NIS Director General Noordin Haji's concerns, expressing full confidence in the abilities of the country's security apparatus in securing the nation.
“I am not worried. This is because I have full confidence in the men and women who make sacrifices every day to ensure that we are safe,” he stated.
“Of course, I get concerned when we lose men and women, but they also neutralise everyday threats that we face, and this does not get reported,” Murkomen added.
His sentiments came after Haji on Monday, May 12, raised an alarm over the various security threats the country is under.
While appearing before the National Assembly’s Departmental Committee on Defence, Intelligence and Foreign Relations, Haji expressed that inadequate funding in the NIS came at the cost of the country's stability.
"If you look at Uganda, you have the Karamojong and other communities crossing into Kenya for cattle rustling. They’ve even encroached on some of our land,” Haji observed.
He added, “In South Sudan, there’s the unchecked flow of small arms. In Ethiopia, the Oromo Liberation Army is occupying some of our territory. Our forces are trying to respond, but when you consider the kind of equipment we have, it’s really wanting.”
In a rare show of vulnerability, Haji went to the lengths of showing willingness to share the agency's financial details to highlight the gravity of funding deficits.
According to the NIS boss, the agency was allocated Ksh51 billion in the 2024/2025 financial year – a figure which was Ksh14 billion less than what NIS requested.
Haji went a step further by openly challenging the government to exhibit 'seriousness in handling matters of national security', saying, “We must ask ourselves whether we are genuinely committed to giving Kenyans the security they deserve."
Haji’s comments drew widespread attention, as many found it out of the ordinary that such a high-ranking official of an organisation otherwise known for its discreet modus operandi would make such open remarks.
However, Murkomen, in an attempt to address this, noted that Haji’s comments might have been taken out of context, adding that people were going to great lengths to politicise the issue. The CS maintained that Haji’s comments were valid and that the government would move to ensure the NIS was well catered for.
