Sunday school teacher to powerful CS: Is Murkomen the new Mr Fix It?

Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen addresses a press conference on the state of security during the festive season, in Nairobi, on December 20, 2024.  [Kanyiri Wahito, Standard]

Interior Cabinet position has since independence been reserved for every administration’s Mr Fix It.

From Magana Njoroge Mungai during founding President Jomo Kenyatta’s reign to John Michuki, to Zakayo Cheruiyot during Daniel Moi’s time and to Fred Matiang’i during Uhuru Kenyatta’s administration and then lately Kithure Kindiki during William Ruto’s regime, the docket has been held by individuals who have bestridden echelons of power like colossi.

When Prof Kindiki was elevated to the position of Deputy President, Kenyans were left guessing on who would rise to the helm of the powerful ministry.

Many observers thought Ruto would use the opportunity presented by Kindiki’s elevation to the position of DP to further broaden his broad-based government by rewarding an ally of retired President Uhuru Kenyatta with the post.

Others thought a close associate of former Prime Minister Raila Odinga would get the powerful job.

But 45-year-old Kipchumba Murkomen, who had served at the Sports Cabinet Secretary for barely four months, was on Thursday transferred to the Interior ministry, joining the ranks of powerful Kenyans.

Is Kipchumba, the son of Pastor Johana Murkomen and Margaret from the remote Embobut area of Elgeyo Marakwet, President Ruto’s Mr Fix It?

From a Sunday School teacher to a nondescript senator and now to the most powerful CS, Murkomen’s rise to political stardom has been punctuated with wit, love, hate and at times controversy.

He was elected for a third term as Senator of Elgeyo Marakwet in 2022 before he was appointed Roads Cabinet Secretary, another docket reserved for persons seen as the closest allies of a sitting President.

After the anti-finance Finance Bill 2024 protests between June and July, youthful protesters of the Gen Z group trained their guns on Murkomen after he openly displayed opulence through an expensive watch, belts and shoes among other pricey items, when the country was in an economic crisis.

He sought forgiveness for the open display of opulence but Kenyans who detest his style of leadership could hear none of it.

Murkomen’s critics appeared relieved after President Ruto dismissed his entire Cabinet.

Nonetheless, the President appointed Murkomen to the Youth Affairs and Sports docket that was previously held by Ababau Namwamba, another Ruto’s fierce defender.

Before the re-appointment to the Sports docket, a section of Eldoret residents, a majority of them the youth, cut a cake to celebrate his ouster.

The youthful protesters said they were celebrating dismissal of the Cabinet and to specifically welcome Murkomen back home.

In July, a section of locals in Kaptagat jeered Elgeyo Marakwet Woman representative Caroline Ngelechei after he asked President Ruto to reappoint Murkomen to Cabinet.

By yesterday, his supporters in Rift Valley and beyond were still celebrating the transfer to the Interior Ministry. His critics were still surprised at the trust to lead a powerful docket.

At the Sports ministry, his supporters among them Benjamin Letting said they were hopeful that the Murkomen would complete stalled stadiums. A number of the projects, including the Moi Sports Centre Kasarani which will host African Nations Championships (CHAN) next February were still work in progress.

“We are confident that Murkomen will complete all stalled sports facilities. We thank the President for nominating him to that Ministry,” Letting said.

At the Ministry of Roads and Transport, Murkomen was on the eye of a storm over Adani deals to expand the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, a 30-year contract which has since been cancelled by Ruto after the firm was found to have engaged in fraudulent activities in the US.

But who is Murkomen? From a Sunday school teacher in the remote village of Embobut to the position of the Senate Majority Leader and to Cabinet posts, Murkomen bears the hallmark of a calculative politician.

Before his ouster as the National Assembly Majority Leader in May 2020, Murkomen remained one of the country’s vocal politicians.

The father of four comes from a marginalised indigenous Sengwer community in Marakwet East.

At some point, while campaigning to become Elgeyo Markwet’s first senator, Murkomen disclosed that his family once lived inside the Embobut forest.

Villagers fondly refer to him as Kipchumba at his Embobut village and they still describe him as a Sunday school teacher and a lawyer.

His father, Johana Murkomen is a cleric and was brought up in Chawis village in the hilly area of Elgeyo Marakwet.

Murkomen went to Chawis Primary School where he completed his primary education in 1993.

At the neighbouring Chawis African Inland Church where his father was an evangelist, Kipchumba followed in the former’s footsteps and he ended up becoming a Sunday school teacher.

He was called to join St Joseph’s Boys High School Kitale but he preferred St Patrick’s Iten and he joined the school in Form Two.

He completed his law degree at the University of Nairobi and a postgraduate course at the American University Washington College of Law in the US.

Ahead of the 2010 referendum, President William Ruto, who was then MP for Eldoret North opposed the new constitution while Murkomen and Sang supported it.

In 2012, the youthful lawyers would join hands with Ruto in URP. In 2013, Murkomen successfully contested Elgeyo Marakwet senatorial seat, beating former powerful Minister, the late Nicholas Biwott.

Sang on the other hand clinched the Nandi senatorial position.

“Murkomen initially wanted to contest the governor position but he changed his mind after friends and I advised him to go for the senate seat because he is lawyer,” one of his close friends said.