Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP) leader Rigathi Gachagua has again demanded the immediate dismissal of Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen following a serious security breakdown involving President William Ruto.
Addressing reporters at his party’s Nairobi headquarters on May 25, Gachagua insisted Murkomen should resign or be removed from office, claiming the CS has demonstrated incompetence in managing the nation’s security framework as Kenya approaches a crucial electoral period.
“How can Murkomen ensure the protection of ordinary citizens when he cannot safeguard his own appointing authority?” questioned Gachagua.
The former deputy president made his comments after an individual penetrated the president’s inner security perimeter, momentarily disrupting the President’s address during a recent public event in Kilifi County.
Gachagua described the incident as part of a concerning pattern of security shortcomings that revealed just how inadequately protected the president had become.
He contended that in any functioning democracy, both the Interior CS and Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja would have already resigned following such a public and humiliating security failure.
“In other countries, by this point, the Interior CS would have stepped down, the IG would have resigned, everyone would have quit,” declared Gachagua.
The former Deputy President clarified that despite his disagreements with President Ruto following their contentious split in October 2024, he harbors no malice, and any harm to the president could throw the entire nation into chaos.
Gachagua highlighted multiple incidents, including a shoe thrown at Ruto in Migori during May 2025 and a water bottle tossed at him in Soweto, Kibra, on April 26 and 28, as proof of widespread systemic failures.
He referenced an additional February 6 occurrence in Mombasa where another person broke through the security cordon, with the former DP noting that both inner and outer security measures had been completely unprepared.
Gachagua, who mentioned his paramilitary training background, questioned the whereabouts of the president’s Aide-de-Camp during the Kilifi incident, emphasizing that the ADC serves as the final barrier between the president and potential physical threats.
“What if that man who approached yesterday had been carrying a knife? If he could grab his neck and nearly twist it, he might have stabbed him. What if he was a suicide attacker?” he wondered.
The former Deputy President further accused the CS of attempting to incite civil unrest, suggesting the minister was manipulating the president into believing factions from the Mount Kenya region were internally conflicted.
Gachagua asserted that the Interior portfolio needed a seasoned, impartial individual without political aspirations, cautioning that ambitious officials tend to exploit security apparatus for personal advantage.
Following the security breach, Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja has subsequently appointed William Sawe as the new PEU Commandant.