‘Incompetent!’… 'Below average student': Cherargei, Murkomen clash in Senate showdown

The Senate had temporarily suspended sittings to allow CS Murkomen, alongside police bosses, to shed light on the murder probe of influencer Albert Ojwang. 

For months, Senator Cherargei has been calling for Murkomen's resignation, arguing that he has failed in his duties amid growing insecurity. This time, his speech echoed the same stance as he urged that the CS must be held culpable for Ojwang's murder. 

"The Ministry of Interior suffers from a leadership crisis. It's good that the nation has seen the incompetence of CS Murkomen on this matter and if anybody has to resign, it starts with Murkomen," Cherargei noted. 

"That is where the buck stops. The Murkomen we have today is different. Abraham Lincoln said 'If you want to know the true state of a man, give him power and money."

In a cheeky salvo at Murkomen, he called for President William Ruto to conduct a cabinet reshuffle and reassign Murkomen to the Sports docket, claiming that serious matters were being treated like a game. 

"The CS must tell us, does he need 10,000 years to make a change? He has not presented any policy on police brutality. I think it's high time that the president must do a reshuffle, take the Interior CS back to Sports because he likes bringing 'mchezo' in the business we're discussing in this country," Cherargei pointed out. 

In response, Murkomen pulled no punches in his critique of Cherargei's remarks, alleging that the senator spews venom out of spite and to gain political mileage. 

"Every time I have had to come to this House since I was a minister, this same senator has been talking about the CS must resign. All these resignations (claims) are compounded by a theme that the minister is incompetent," Murkomen highlighted. 

In a sharp jab at the senator, Murkomen claimed that Cherargei was a 'below average' student in school and argued that he's the least qualified individual to question his competence.  

"Senator Cherargei was my student and I taught him more than two subjects. His performance was below average! He has no legitimacy to question my competency and I will table the results if required," the CS remarked. 

"If performance is to go by, anyone can assess mine, not Cherargei. This chamber is a serious House. If I have to come here to debate about incompetence from one individual, that is a normal song every day, he doesn't provide evidence except what he used to do here to ask questions that are procured from out there, what else does Cherargei feel like he has done in this country? We must respect each other."