Interior and National Administration Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has declared a new front in the fight against systemic land injustices, signaling a government-wide effort to restore public trust in Kenya’s justice and land management systems.
Speaking during a high-level security engagement in Kilifi County, Murkomen emphasized the urgent need for structural reform, noting that land disputes especially those involving public officials have deeply undermined community trust and triggered widespread insecurity.
“Political actors are under investigation for colluding with professionals, lawyers and judicial officials, and those implicated will be dealt with especially public officers from Lands and security agencies,” he warned, adding that the era of impunity is coming to an end.
The CS is currently on the third leg of his six-day Jukwaa la Usalama tour across the Coast region, assessing security and service delivery while engaging directly with local leaders and residents.
While addressing the press, Murkomen pointed to the long-standing exploitation of vulnerable groups, especially the elderly, in fraudulent land transfers. “Elderly people are being taken advantage of and dispossessed of prime land because of poverty levels and illiteracy,” he lamented.
He acknowledged that the root of the crisis lies in collusion among multiple agencies including the Judiciary, the Ministry of Lands, and internal security officials creating a system where justice is delayed or manipulated. “Land disputes are rampant in this county and the situation is not any different in other parts of the Coast like Kwale. It has led to a squatter situation and competition for resources,” he observed.
Murkomen said the government will actively engage the National Land Commission and the Judiciary to fast-track issuance of title deeds and root out land invasions. “We will engage the Judiciary and the National Land Commission to address these issues especially in getting title deeds to rid off land invasions,” he said.
In a bold move toward judicial accountability, the CS announced plans to raise concerns directly with Chief Justice Martha Koome. “I will be escalating this matter. I will have consultations with Chief Justice Martha Koome on the concerns about the conduct of judicial officials giving conflicting orders. This casts aspersions on their intentions and it’s a matter that should be discussed at the Commission on Administrative Justice.”
Accompanied by Correctional Services PS Dr. Salome Beacco and a host of MPs and county officials, Murkomen is using this tour to spotlight government efforts not only to enhance security but also to improve transparency in land administration and service delivery including mobile ID registration and civil documentation.
