Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has dismissed claims that criminal gangs have become widespread across the country, arguing that the issue has been overstated for political gain.
Even so, he directed the National Police Service to intensify operations against organised gangs and those suspected of funding their activities.
Speaking during the launch of the Multi-Biometric Identification System at the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) headquarters, Murkomen said law enforcement agencies must use all legal measures available to dismantle criminal networks and bring those behind them to justice.
“The issue of goons isn’t as bad as exaggerated. It’s being hyped by politics and politicians…” he said.
The Interior CS accused some political leaders of sponsoring criminal groups to pursue their own interests, saying such actions had contributed to insecurity in parts of the country.
He also criticised religious leaders whom he claimed had previously defended suspects arrested during the 2024 and 2025 anti-government protests but were now calling for decisive action against criminal gangs.
“We saw the church defending those goons… Now they are crying for the government to end goonism,” said the CS.
Murkomen maintained that Kenyans had expressed a clear desire to see criminal gangs eliminated and instructed police officers to take firm action within the confines of the law.
“If church leaders have given us a go-ahead to deal with goons, now you have my order as police: deal with goons mercilessly,” he ordered.
At the same event, the government introduced the Multi-Biometric Identification System, a digital platform expected to transform police investigations and public services.
The technology is projected to reduce the processing period for police clearance certificates from two weeks to less than a day while also providing faster access to criminal records and improving the management of evidence in court cases.
“The new system integrates fingerprint and facial recognition…” DCI Director Mohamed Amin said.
Director of Public Prosecutions Renson Ingonga welcomed the new platform, saying it would help investigators and prosecutors handle cases more efficiently by making information readily available.
“The DPP is at the tail end of the investigations… Now it’s a click of a button,” Ingonga noted.
The launch of the digital system signals the government’s push to modernise criminal investigations while reinforcing efforts to combat organised crime.
Authorities say combining advanced technology with stronger law enforcement will enhance service delivery, strengthen prosecutions and improve public confidence in the country’s justice system.
