CS Murkomen: Combating religious radicalisation requires whole-of-society effort

Murkomen spoke on Citizen TV's Monday Report, drawing parallels between the Shakahola massacre and the recent Kwa Binzaro cult deaths, emphasizing the importance of citizens taking greater responsibility for protecting their communities.

“As long as we abdicate our duties as citizens, there will always be security issues,” Murkomen said. “Security is not only the responsibility of the police. We must also do our part. You cannot leave your house unlocked and expect it to be solely the responsibility of the police.”

The CS cited failures in community structures, such as the Kenya Alliance of Residents Association (KARA), which he said should play a stronger role in gathering and relaying intelligence to security agencies.

He noted that in the Shakahola case, radicalisation reached the extreme point of mass starvation deaths, yet warning signs went unnoticed.

“Even after Shakahola, there was a man who travelled from Siaya to Chakama Ranch with his children for months. How did no one notice?” Murkomen asked, calling for heightened vigilance and early reporting.

He further revealed that self-regulation of religious institutions is part of measures to prevent extremist indoctrination.

KARA Chief Executive Officer Henry Ochieng, who also appeared on the program, acknowledged that a trust deficit between citizens and the police continues to undermine intelligence-sharing.

“There is goodwill from communities to support the police, but there is also fear that the information provided may be used against them,” Ochieng said, adding that this mistrust must be addressed to improve cooperation.

The debate comes as police intensify investigations into the Kwa Binzaro massacre, where 34 bodies have so far been exhumed from shallow graves in Kilifi County. Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja confirmed that 102 sets of human remains, including skulls, had been recovered from the site.

Eleven suspects are currently in custody, with four identified as key suspects. Preliminary findings suggest that most of the victims were non-locals.