Murkomen puts gangs on notice in Vihiga security crackdown

Interior CS Kipchumba Murkomen speaks during the 37th Jukwaa la Usalama town hall meeting at the County Commissioner's residence grounds in Vihiga County, September 6, 2025. /MINA

Breakable Boys, Nduthi Culture and 42 Brothers are no longer harmless social outfits but are fast mutating into serious security threats in Western Kenya, Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has warned.

The CS has now put the groups on notice, saying more officers will be deployed in Vihiga County to flush them out and restore peace.

He also urged locals to summon courage and speak out against the menace.

Murkomen was speaking on Saturday after hosting the 37th Jukwaa la Usalama town hall meeting at the County Commissioner’s residence grounds in Vihiga.

The session marked the final county engagement in the Western Kenya region.

The CS admitted that insecurity fuelled by goons in Vihiga was not as severe as in some neighbouring counties, but warned that its tentacles can be felt within the county.

“Whereas the general intention was to establish social groupings related to economic activities these young people are involved in, now it’s turning out to become a kind of security threat,” he said.

“There have also been a group called 42 Brothers, in the next county, it’s 47 Brothers, in Busia, it’s called 18 Brothers. In Western Kenya, the biggest concern that must bother us is that gangs in other counties are only confined to urban areas, but gangs in the Western region are all the way to villages.”

Murkomen said the future of the state must now become a national conversation in the wake of mushrooming gangs across various parts of the country.

He announced that during his visit to Kisumu next week, he would take time to assess the security situation in the county to establish whether it is experiencing a ripple effect from its neighbours.

Plans are also underway for the Inspector General of Police to deploy extra officers across the region, including areas where the gangs have yet to establish a presence, to flush out any criminal elements.

“In fact, yesterday in our meeting, some chiefs were saying very few people were courageous enough to speak about gangs because they fear being ‘visited’ and attacked. We will do everything possible to restore order in the society, but we cannot do it on our own,” Murkomen said, urging members of the public to share information with the police.

The Vihiga meeting drew leaders, government officials and residents who aired their views, raised concerns and proposed solutions to security and service delivery challenges.

Among those present were Governor Wilber Ottichilo, Deputy Governor Wilberforce Kitiezo, MPs Ernest Kivai (Vihiga), Charles Gimose (Hamisi), Beatrice Adagala (County MP), Dick Maungu (Luanda), Omboko Milemba (Emuhaya) and Clement Sloya (Sabatia), as well as County Assembly Speaker Christopher Omulele and MCAs.

Murkomen was accompanied by Deputy Inspector General (APS) Gilbert Masengeli, Principal Administrative Secretary Beverly Opwora, Secretary Internal Security Thomas Saka and Secretary National Administration Moses Lilan.

Also in attendance were Nacada CEO Anthony Omerikwa, Western Regional Commissioner Irungu Macharia, Regional Police Commander Issa Mohamed, Regional AP Commander Michael Naro, Acting County Commissioner Florence Sitawa and other senior government officials.