Murkomen Defends Ruto: Why Junior Officers Are the Heart of the Bottom-Up Agenda

Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has said Kenya’s progress should be measured by how it treats the lowest and most vulnerable members of society.

He lauded President William Ruto for prioritizing junior officers and spearheading reforms in prisons, housing, and healthcare under the Bottom-Up economic agenda.

Speaking during an inspection tour of correctional facilities and police housing projects, Murkomen said the government remains committed to restoring dignity to public servants at the grassroots level.

Particularly junior police officers and prison wardens who have long endured poor working and living conditions.

A nation is judged not by how it treats the powerful, but by how it treats the least among its people,” Murkomen said.

Under President Ruto’s leadership, we are deliberately shifting focus to those who have been forgotten for decades the junior officers, the low income earners, and vulnerable inmates.

The CS highlighted ongoing reforms within the Kenya Prisons Service, including infrastructure upgrades, decongestion efforts, and improved healthcare services for inmates.

He said the reforms are aligned with the broader Bottom-Up agenda, which seeks to uplift those at the base of the economic pyramid.

Murkomen noted that the government has already rolled out housing projects targeting disciplined forces, aimed at replacing dilapidated colonial era quarters with modern, dignified living spaces.

He emphasized that decent housing is not a privilege but a right for officers who risk their lives to protect citizens.

We cannot demand professionalism and accountability from officers who live in squalor,” he said. “By improving their welfare, we are strengthening our security institutions.

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On healthcare, Murkomen said the government is streamlining medical cover for police and prison officers while also improving medical services within correctional facilities.

He described access to quality healthcare as a cornerstone of humane governance.

The Interior CS further defended the Bottom-Up economic model, arguing that it is designed to create inclusive growth by channeling resources to ordinary Kenyans rather than concentrating benefits at the top.

He said reforms in the security sector demonstrate the administration’s commitment to practical, people-centered policies.

Murkomen also called on Kenyans to support ongoing reforms, noting that transforming institutions such as prisons requires sustained investment and public goodwill.

Political analysts say the remarks reinforce the administration’s narrative that its policies are focused on social justice and equity, even as critics question the pace and scope of implementation.

However, Murkomen insisted that tangible changes are already visible on the ground.