Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has cautioned public servants against nicknaming President William Ruto "Kasongo" or chanting "wantam" against the government.
Speaking in Narok on Monday, August 11, Murkomen claimed that any public servant, including security officers, caught chanting these slogans or engaging in political activities should be sacked or immediately dismissed, since it is unconstitutional.
Murkomen claimed that public servants should instead focus on understanding and executing government policies in line with the oath they took while vowing to serve the government.
The CS has, however, assured that public servants, just like other Kenyans, will have the freedom to fully participate in their democratic rights, such as elections, and elect whoever they want in the upcoming general elections.
"There is no chief, assistant chief or police officer who will be tolerated when found speaking ill of the government because it is unlawful and unconstitutional, because when we get any security officer or public servant insulting the president or giving him nicknames such as Kasongo or singing 'one term', that public servant should be sacked immediately," Murkomen said.
"I'm not saying because of this government, or even the next one, because if you choose to serve in the public service, you must respect the government that shall come, when it comes to voting, no one will prevent you from choosing whoever you want, but while serving the government, you cannot participate in campaigns or sloganeering," he added.
In a press briefing on the same day, the interior boss further warned Kenyans against circulating videos of former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua on social media, stressing that his controversial remarks might compromise the country's political, social, and security stability.
Murkomen claimed that the former DP's recent statements, which he labelled as concerning, are being amplified by social media users who may not fully understand the implications of his remarks.
"It's no longer a joke who the former Deputy President is at the moment, most of you share posts of his messages and so forth, you are the ones who are encouraging a person who is unwell to continue saying more things that are going to hurt our country," Murkomen said.
The announcement by Murkomen came after Gachagua claimed that senior government officials had met with Al-Shabaab leaders in Mandera.
In response, Murkomen claimed that the DP will be required to record a statement with the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) immediately when he comes back to the country from his two-month trip to the United States.
"If the former DP is not going to record a statement about what he said about Al Shabaab and terrorism, then the right thing for him is that we check him into a mental institution for a mentality assessment because his level of contradiction can only be that he either is a pathological liar or is a mental case that needs treatment," Murkomen continued.
