Interior CS Kipchumba Murkomen [MURKOMEN/X]
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has called for a clear distinction between corruption and community support for the police, saying voluntary contributions should not be equated with bribery.
Speaking during a Jukwaa la Usalama forum on Friday, the Interior CS defended the practice, suggesting that police officers may at times seek help from citizens to fuel their vehicles when called upon for security services.
He said public outrage over the remarks was misplaced and maintained that his position reflected realities on the ground in many parts of the country.
“You can’t tell me that members of the public working together with their OCS cannot find local solutions, including building a police station or donating land. You can’t tell me it will be corruption if the community donates land to build a police station,” he said.
“You can’t tell me during Christmas, if the local community arranges itself and takes goodies to the OCS and the police officers to celebrate, it would be corruption.”
He questioned why such acts of generosity should be classified as corruption, emphasising that community goodwill strengthens, rather than undermines security.
According to the CS, such contributions to officers should not be viewed as inducements.
He stressed the need to differentiate between acts of community support and situations where money or favours are offered to obtain a service or to avoid enforcement action.
“We must separate that from corruption where someone comes and says: usipotoa kitu, sitaenda (if you don’t give me 'something small,' I won’t leave),” Murkomen said.
The CS illustrated his point by noting that some police stations experience operational delays because vehicles lack fuel and officers are waiting for allocations from headquarters.
In such cases, he said, an elected leader or resident with the means to assist should be able to do so without fear of being accused of corruption.
He termed this approach “practical” and necessary to ensure a timely response to emergencies.
“If you approach an OCS who says they are waiting for their superiors to provide fuel, and you are an MP with the capacity to help, you should be able to say, ‘Bwana OCS, to assist our people, take this and use it for fuel so the vehicle can go first,’” he said.
He also clarified that plans are underway within the government to address the underlying logistical and funding constraints facing police operations, including shortages of fuel and equipment, so that officers can fulfil their duties without relying on external assistance.
However, he insisted that until such challenges are resolved, communities should not be discouraged from voluntarily supporting law enforcement where they can.
The Interior CS reiterated that corruption occurs when a public officer demands or accepts a benefit in exchange for a service, but that is different from citizens or leaders making voluntary donations to improve security infrastructure or help officers perform their duties.
