Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has issued a directive to promote all chiefs with university degrees to the rank of Assistant County Commissioners (ACCs). The move, he said, is aimed at recognizing merit and boosting efficiency in local administration.
Speaking during a tour of Tana River County as part of his ongoing Coastal region visit, Murkomen also directed that every sub-county should have at least two Principal Chiefs to enhance service delivery. He emphasized the need to equip local administrators with adequate tools and responsibilities to meet the growing demands of the public.
In a significant step towards decentralization and improved governance, Murkomen announced that a fully-fledged Tana River County headquarters will be constructed in the next financial year.
He also addressed the issue of insecurity in frontier and banditry-prone areas, revealing plans to arm chiefs who face persistent threats from criminal groups such as al-Shabaab. “Corners in the frontline where we have established that chiefs are under imminent and persistent attack should have their chiefs armed. They will undergo additional training at the Administration Police Training Campus (APTC),” said the CS.
In addition, Murkomen directed that transfers to operational or marginalized areas should not be treated as punishment. He ordered the immediate transfer of security personnel who have overstayed in regions like Tana River, noting that some officers had served in these areas for over 14 years. He set a three-month deadline for the rotation of officers who have exceeded the three-year threshold.
The CS acknowledged that the shortage of police personnel has hindered proper implementation of rotation policies. However, he expressed optimism that the planned recruitment of 10,000 officers and modernization efforts such as improved housing and vehicle provision will address these challenges.
During his visit, residents highlighted recurring issues such as boundary disputes over scarce water resources, tribal tensions linked to leadership representation, and the devastating effects of climate change, particularly floods and famine. Murkomen assured them that the government is committed to long-term solutions addressing these concerns.
