Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has dismissed claims by former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua that he receives intelligence information from government insiders, describing the allegations as false and based on what he termed gossip.
Murkomen made the remarks as he responded to Gachagua’s recent assertions that he remains connected to people within Kenya’s security establishment who provide him with information about government activities.
According to reports, Gachagua claimed that he has loyalists within the National Intelligence Service and other security agencies who continue to brief him on developments within the government.
The former deputy president suggested that these contacts give him access to information despite no longer holding a government position.
Murkomen strongly rejected the suggestion, arguing that modern security operations are increasingly dependent on technology, forensic evidence and professional intelligence gathering rather than informal sources.
Speaking at the Directorate of Criminal Investigations headquarters, the Interior CS accused Gachagua of relying on what he described as unverified information.
He said Kenya’s security agencies were moving away from outdated investigative practices and embracing scientific and technology-driven approaches.
Murkomen’s response has intensified the political exchange between the government and Gachagua, who has emerged as one of its most vocal critics since leaving office.
Gachagua was removed as deputy president in 2024 following an impeachment process that exposed deep political divisions within the Kenya Kwanza administration.
Since then, he has frequently criticised the government over security, governance and economic issues.
His latest claims about having contacts within the security system have raised questions about the level of access former senior government officials retain after leaving office.
For Murkomen, however, the allegations appear to represent an attempt to create doubt about the operations of the country’s security agencies.
The Interior CS has previously challenged Gachagua to provide evidence when making serious security-related allegations. In August 2025, Murkomen called on the former deputy president to formally present information he claimed to possess about alleged links between individuals and Al-Shabaab rather than making public accusations.
The latest disagreement follows a broader pattern in which Gachagua has made claims about security operations while government officials have publicly disputed them.
In June 2026, Murkomen also rejected Gachagua’s allegations that a specialised police unit had been deployed to assassinate him. The Interior CS dismissed the claim and accused the former deputy president of seeking political attention.
The government has maintained that Kenya’s security institutions are operating within the law and that allegations concerning their activities should be supported by evidence.
Murkomen has also defended the performance of the security sector, saying the country is safer and more secure than before. He pointed to investments in security and argued that the government has taken steps to strengthen policing and investigations.
The disagreement between Murkomen and Gachagua is therefore not simply a personal political exchange. It reflects a wider debate about the credibility of information coming from former government officials and the responsibility of political leaders when making claims concerning national security.
Gachagua’s supporters are likely to argue that his alleged contacts within government demonstrate that he remains informed about developments inside the administration.
Government officials, on the other hand, are insisting that claims involving intelligence agencies should not be treated as fact without supporting evidence.
The controversy also highlights the sensitive nature of intelligence information. Security agencies depend heavily on confidentiality, and allegations that former officials continue to receive classified briefings could raise questions about information security and the conduct of intelligence personnel.
For now, Murkomen has rejected Gachagua’s claims and maintained that the government’s security agencies are focused on professional, evidence-based operations.
As political competition continues to intensify ahead of the 2027 General Election, exchanges between Gachagua and senior government officials are likely to remain frequent.
The latest clash demonstrates how security, intelligence and allegations of government misconduct are increasingly becoming part of the political contest.
Whether Gachagua will provide evidence to support his claims remains a key question, while Murkomen’s dismissal places the burden firmly on the former deputy president to substantiate the information he says he receives from within government institutions.