MPs Plot to Impeach Murkomen Over Shoot-to-Kill Remarks Amid Gen Z Protests

A political storm is gathering around Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen as a section of lawmakers initiates a bid to impeach him over inflammatory comments made in the wake of the June 25 “Gen Z” protests.

Manyatta MP Gitonga Mukunji is leading the charge, accusing Murkomen of advocating for extrajudicial killings after the CS directed police to shoot protesters who approach police stations during demonstrations. Speaking at Harambe House on June 26, Murkomen’s comments sparked immediate outrage across political, legal, and civic spaces.

“Bwana Waziri Murkomen, you don’t deserve to be the Minister of Interior if you can say people should be shot by guns meant to protect them,” Mukunji declared. “I’m calling on MPs to support an impeachment motion. I’m collecting numbers till Tuesday.”

Mukurweini MP John Kaguchia added legal weight to the calls, asserting that Murkomen’s remarks violated Articles 21, 26, and 37 of the Constitution—provisions that guarantee the right to life, human dignity, and peaceful assembly.

Murkomen, in a bid to defuse the backlash, has claimed he was misquoted. But critics aren’t buying it. Radio host Ndu Okoh of Spice FM challenged the denial, saying, “Usually, when somebody repeats something in the same manner, they mean it. He sent a message and it wasn’t a mistake.”

Former presidential aspirant and constitutional lawyer Dr. Ekuru Aukot labeled Murkomen an “embarrassment to the legal profession,” questioning his understanding of the law despite his legal training.

Murkomen’s former lecturer at the University of Nairobi, Prof. Kivutha Kibwana, also condemned the remarks:

“Do you know @InteriorKE, that due to your shoot-live to murder command, you will now and in the future be held accountable for every extrajudicial extermination? How was I your teacher at UoN Law?”

Murkomen’s comments come amid the ongoing Gen Z-led protests—an unprecedented youth-led movement triggered by economic frustrations, perceived government excesses, and the now-infamous Finance Bill. The protests have drawn national attention for their scale, tech-savviness, and spontaneous coordination, largely outside traditional political structures.

Activist Boniface Mwangi summed up the public mood during a Monday broadcast:

“All everyone is asking for is justice and for the Constitution to be followed. The Constitution exists, and that is the best way to give Kenyans what they are asking for.”

The impeachment threat not only puts Murkomen on notice but also reflects growing divisions within President William Ruto’s administration. As the youth revolt intensifies, cracks are emerging even among allies who now fear political fallout from aligning too closely with controversial directives.

Should the impeachment motion gather the requisite support, it could mark the first major Cabinet-level ouster under Ruto’s presidency—and a defining moment in how Kenya’s political establishment reckons with the digital-era power of youth-led civic action.

All eyes are on Parliament this week as Gitonga Mukunji works to marshal the numbers required for an impeachment motion. Meanwhile, civic groups and legal experts are exploring constitutional avenues to hold Murkomen accountable beyond Parliament.

As Gen Z protesters maintain pressure on the streets and online, the Interior CS’s fate may ultimately hinge not just on legal arguments—but on a new generation’s uncompromising demand for accountability.