Murkomen Offers Scholarships to Bandits Who Will Surrender Firearms
In a powerful and emotional address, Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has made a surprising offer to bandits: surrender your firearms and receive a new life through government-sponsored education, jobs, and housing.
“If you had an illegal gun and had not committed any offence, we will forgive you,” Murkomen declared during the Jukwaa la Usalama forum in Elgeyo Marakwet.
He added firmly,
“Instead of waiting for the police to come for you, present yourself. We’ll even take you to college.”
This groundbreaking approach is part of the government’s new reintegration program. Through it, the state hopes to end the cycle of violence gripping the North and North-Eastern regions.
Murkomen painted a painful picture of the young lives lost to banditry.
“Some of these people are of school-going age,” he said. “Instead of engaging in crime, we will give them scholarships to get skills that they can use to take care of their lives.”
The initiative includes full educational training through government partnerships with technical institutions. Once trained, the reformed individuals will be given jobs, particularly in construction under the Affordable Housing programme.
“After college, we will deploy them to construction sites,” Murkomen confirmed.
He didn’t mince words when it came to persistent criminals.
“Those who insist that they must continue to be in banditry will have no one to blame,” he warned.
“Our security agencies are going to deal with them firmly.”
His tone shifted as he extended hope to the affected families.
“They should therefore take this olive branch and choose peace by surrendering guns and taking pens instead,” he said.
Since the crackdown began, more than 1,000 illegal firearms have been recovered. However, the government estimates that over 10,000 still remain in circulation.
Murkomen also dropped a bombshell, revealing that the government has intelligence on those enabling the vice.
“We have reports that some politicians, teachers, and contractors are involved in buying and distributing weapons,” he disclosed.
“We will catch them.”
He concluded by calling on parents to be part of the solution.
“Parents who know their sons are involved in banditry should talk to them,” he urged.
“Tell them to surrender their guns and grab the opportunity for education.”
This announcement signals a significant shift in how the government deals with insecurity—choosing education and economic empowerment over force.
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Murkomen Offers Scholarships to Bandits Who Will Surrender Firearms
