Interior CS Murkomen Reveals 579 Kenyans Killed in Mob Justice Incidents Since January 2025

Responding to a question from Kisumu Senator Tom Ojienda, Murkomen reported a total of 845 mob justice incidents recorded in that period, which also left 266 individuals injured. He highlighted the geographic distribution, with Kiambu County recording the highest number of fatalities at 58, followed by Nairobi (55), Kisumu (36), Embu (33), and Kirinyaga (28). Kiambu also led in overall incidents with 90 cases.

Murkomen outlined several government initiatives aimed at curbing this rising trend of vigilante violence. These include intensifying police training on crowd control and human rights, establishing standby response teams at all police stations, promoting community policing, and launching a toll-free hotline for public reporting of suspicious activities. Additional measures encompass expanding the Directorate of Criminal Investigations' forensic and intelligence capabilities, implementing a digital Occurrence Book for real-time transparency, enhancing evidence collection and mob incident handling protocols, and fostering closer collaboration with the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions to improve prosecution rates.

The revelations underscore deep concerns over public distrust in formal justice systems, which often fuels mob actions in response to perceived crimes. Murkomen emphasized the need to restore public confidence through stronger community engagement and accountability. He stated that the government is committed to these reforms to prevent further loss of life and ensure law enforcement handles suspects appropriately rather than allowing extrajudicial killings by crowds. The disclosure has sparked renewed discussions on addressing root causes like delayed justice and police effectiveness in Kenya.