Interior and National Administration Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has defended the recently concluded Jukwaa la Usalama forums, dismissing critics who faulted his extensive travels across the country.
Murkomen said the nationwide forums were necessary for him to understand the realities faced by citizens, security officers, and administrators at the grassroots, instead of relying on second-hand reports from Nairobi.
“We have held the Jukwaa la Usalama forums, and I have toured every county in Kenya. Some people are upset simply because I travelled across the country. They were used to ministers sitting in Nairobi and waiting to be visited in their offices. I decided it’s better to go out there myself and hear directly from the people,” he said.
The CS maintained that the forums were a good idea, emphasizing that listening to local communities had provided invaluable insight into day-to-day challenges affecting safety and development.
“Our goal is to solve the problems that citizens face every day. Through Jukwaa la Usalama, I have heard so much directly from the people,” he noted.
Murkomen further revealed plans to extend his outreach beyond the 47 counties, announcing a new phase that will take him to all 290 constituencies.
“I have already toured all 47 counties, and now I plan to visit all 290 constituencies so that critics can see what real engagement looks like. You complained about 47 meetings, just wait for the 290,” he quipped.
He reaffirmed the ministry’s commitment to ensuring equitable development across the country through structured and inclusive governance.
“If we want balanced development in every part of the country, leadership and implementation must be systematic, just as the President said, we must have a bottom-up approach to development,” Murkomen reiterated
