VIHIGA, Kenya – Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has announced a major crackdown targeting marijuana suppliers in Vihiga County, with security agencies now focusing on dismantling distribution networks feeding the region and beyond.
Speaking during the Jukwaa La Usalama tour in Vihiga on Saturday, Murkomen described marijuana trafficking, alongside defilement and gang activity, as the county’s most pressing security threats.
He singled out Luanda town as the epicenter of the illegal trade, where the drug is allegedly imported and redistributed across the country.
“We must rid Luanda of marijuana. And the biggest issue is to deal with the big suppliers. Already, a notorious lady, a major supplier, is in our radar and you will soon see arrests,” Murkomen said.
The CS stressed that arrests alone would not end the menace, calling instead for a wider societal conversation to address the social and cultural factors that leave youth vulnerable to drug use and gang recruitment.
“Even as we send more officers to support the regional security team in the crackdown, we must have a bigger conversation on gangs and drugs. Policing alone cannot solve this,” he added.
Murkomen also issued a stern warning to local administrators, saying any chief or police officer found shielding defilement suspects would be dismissed.
He further cautioned politicians against spreading hate speech as the country heads into the election season.
“There are no sacred cows. We will step up our vigilance as we go towards the election,” Murkomen said.
The Interior CS assured residents that the government will intensify operations in Western Kenya while engaging communities to support long-term solutions against drugs, gangs, and sexual offences.
