Nyandarua Senator John Methu has sharply criticised Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen, accusing him of presiding over a security environment that could deepen political tensions ahead of Kenya’s 2027 General Election.
Speaking during an interview on Citizen TV on Sunday, Methu linked the recent violence witnessed during the Ol Kalou parliamentary by-election to an earlier disruption of an opposition church gathering in Witima, Nyeri County. He alleged that some of the individuals involved in both incidents were the same people.
“The goons who attacked us in church in Witima are the very same people who came to Ol Kalou. Their faces are known. We have given their names to the Inspector General of Police,” Methu said.
The senator claimed the group was operating outside the formal structures of the National Police Service, questioning how the Interior Ministry could guarantee public safety if such allegations were left unaddressed.
“How can you say you are the Cabinet Secretary responsible for internal security while a parallel militia is allegedly being used to deal with political opponents?” he asked.
Methu did not present evidence during the interview to support the allegations, and Murkomen had not publicly responded to the claims at the time of publication.
The remarks come just days after violence disrupted voting during the Ol Kalou parliamentary by-election. Journalists reported being assaulted, some had their equipment confiscated, and police fired tear gas at several polling stations as voting entered its final stages.
Despite the unrest, the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) completed the exercise and declared Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP) candidate Sammy Kamau Ngotho the winner with 35,440 votes.
Methu insisted there had been no security threat in Ol Kalou that justified the violence, arguing that the unrest had been politically orchestrated. He also reaffirmed the opposition’s determination to challenge President William Ruto in the next election.
“Once our people are determined to take William Ruto home, nothing will stop us from taking him home,” he said.
While criticising the violence, the senator praised local election officials for overseeing what he described as a credible voting process. However, he questioned the electoral body’s handling of events leading up to the poll.
Methu argued that the distribution of mattresses in the presence of a candidate allied to the government should have attracted scrutiny under the Electoral Code of Conduct, suggesting it could amount to voter inducement.
The Ol Kalou by-election has renewed debate over election security and political conduct, with opposition leaders raising concerns over violence and intimidation. Government officials, meanwhile, have maintained that security agencies remain committed to safeguarding public order and investigating any reported criminal acts.
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